Adjacent Words

Blank definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

BLANK, a.
1. Void; empty; consequently white; as a blank paper.
2. White or pale; as the blank moon.
3. Pale from fear or terror; hence confused; confounded; dispirited; dejected.
Adam--astonished stood, and blank.
4. Without rhyme; as blank verse, verse in which rhyme is wanting.
5. Pure; entire; complete.
6. Not containing balls or bullets; as blank cartridges.
This word is applied to various other objects, usually in the sense of destitution, emptiness; as a blank line; a blank space, in a book.etc.
BLANK, n. Any void space; a void space on paper, or in any written instrument.
1. A lot by which nothing is gained; a ticket in a lottery which draws no prize.
2. A paper unwritten; a paper without marks or characters.
3. A paper containing the substance of a legal instrument, as a deed, release, writ or execution, with vacant spaces left to be filled with names, date, descriptions. etc.
4. The point to which an arrow is directed, marked with white paper. [Little used.]
5. Aim; shot.
6. Object to which any thing is directed.
7. A small copper coin formerly current in France, at the rate of 5 deniers Tournois. There were also pieces of three blanks, and of six; but they are now become moneys of account.
Blank-bar, in law, a common bar, or a plea in bar, which, in an action of trespass, is put in to oblige the plaintiff to assign the place where the trespass was committed.
Point-blank, in gunnery, the shot of a gun leveled horizontally. The distance between the piece, and the point where the shot first touches the ground, is called the point-blank range; the shot proceeding on a straight line, without curving.
BLANK, v.t. To make void; to annul.
1. To deprive of color, the index of health and spirits; to damp the spirits; to dispirit or confuse; as, to blank the face of joy.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

adj
1: (of a surface) not written or printed on; "blank pages"; "fill in the blank spaces"; "a clean page"; "wide white margins" [syn: blank, clean, white]
2: void of expression; "a blank stare" [syn: blank, vacuous]
3: not charged with a bullet; "a blank cartridge" n
1: a blank character used to separate successive words in writing or printing; "he said the space is the most important character in the alphabet" [syn: space, blank]
2: a blank gap or missing part [syn: lacuna, blank]
3: a piece of material ready to be made into something
4: a cartridge containing an explosive charge but no bullet [syn: blank, dummy, blank shell] v
1: keep the opposing (baseball) team from winning

Merriam Webster's

I. adjective Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French blanc colorless, white, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German blanch white; probably akin to Latin flagrare to burn — more at black Date: 14th century 1. archaic colorless 2. a. appearing or causing to appear dazed, confounded, or nonplussed <stared in blank dismay> b. expressionless <a blank stare> 3. a. devoid of covering or content; especially free from writing or marks <blank paper> b. having spaces to be filled in c. lacking interest, variety, or change <blank hours> 4. absolute, unqualified <a blank refusal> 5. unfinished; especially having a plain or unbroken surface where an opening is usual <a blank key> <a blank arch> Synonyms: see empty • blankly adverb • blankness noun II. noun Date: 1554 1. obsolete the bull's-eye of a target 2. a. an empty space (as on a paper) b. a paper with spaces for the entry of data <an order blank> 3. a. a piece of material prepared to be made into something (as a key) by a further operation b. a cartridge loaded with propellant and a seal but no projectile 4. a. an empty or featureless place or space <my mind was a blank> b. a vacant or uneventful period <a long blank in history> 5. a dash substituting for an omitted word III. verb Date: circa 1765 transitive verb 1. a. obscure, obliterate <blank out a line> b. to stop access to ; seal <blank off a tunnel> 2. to keep (an opponent) from scoring <were blanked for eight innings> intransitive verb 1. fade — usually used with out <the music blanked out> 2. to become confused or abstracted — often used with out <his mind blanked out momentarily>

Oxford Reference Dictionary

adj., n., & v. --adj. 1 a (of paper) not written or printed on. b (of a document) with spaces left for a signature or details. 2 a not filled; empty (a blank space). b unrelieved; sheer (a blank wall). 3 a having or showing no interest or expression (a blank face). b void of incident or result. c puzzled, nonplussed. d having (temporarily) no knowledge or understanding (my mind went blank). 4 (with neg. import) complete, downright (a blank refusal; blank despair). 5 euphem. used in place of an adjective regarded as coarse or abusive. --n. 1 a a space left to be filled in a document. b a document having blank spaces to be filled. 2 (in full blank cartridge) a cartridge containing gunpowder but no bullet, used for training, etc. 3 an empty space or period of time. 4 a a coin-disc before stamping. b a metal or wooden block before final shaping. 5 a a dash written instead of a word or letter, esp. instead of an obscenity. b euphem. used in place of a noun regarded as coarse. 6 a domino with one or both halves blank. 7 a lottery ticket that gains no prize. 8 the white centre of the target in archery etc. --v.tr. 1 (usu. foll. by off, out) screen, obscure (clouds blanked out the sun). 2 (usu. foll. by out) cut (a metal blank). 3 US defeat without allowing to score. Phrases and idioms: blank cheque 1 a cheque with the amount left for the payee to fill in. 2 colloq. unlimited freedom of action (cf. CARTE BLANCHE). blank test Chem. a scientific test done without a specimen, to verify the absence of the effects of reagents etc. blank verse unrhymed verse, esp. iambic pentameters. draw a blank elicit no response; fail. Derivatives: blankly adv. blankness n. Etymology: ME f. OF blanc white, ult. f. Gmc

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Blank Blank, n. 1. Any void space; a void space on paper, or in any written instrument; an interval void of consciousness, action, result, etc; a void. I can not write a paper full, I used to do; and yet I will not forgive a blank of half an inch from you. --Swift. From this time there ensues a long blank in the history of French legislation. --Hallam. I was ill. I can't tell how long -- it was a blank. --G. Eliot. 2. A lot by which nothing is gained; a ticket in a lottery on which no prize is indicated. In Fortune's lottery lies A heap of blanks, like this, for one small prize. --Dryden. 3. A paper unwritten; a paper without marks or characters a blank ballot; -- especially, a paper on which are to be inserted designated items of information, for which spaces are left vacant; a bland form. The freemen signified their approbation by an inscribed vote, and their dissent by a blank. --Palfrey. 4. A paper containing the substance of a legal instrument, as a deed, release, writ, or execution, with spaces left to be filled with names, date, descriptions, etc. 5. The point aimed at in a target, marked with a white spot; hence, the object to which anything is directed. Let me still remain The true blank of thine eye. --Shak. 6. Aim; shot; range. [Obs.] I have stood . . . within the blank of his displeasure For my free speech. --Shak. 7. A kind of base silver money, first coined in England by Henry V., and worth about 8 pence; also, a French coin of the seventeenth century, worth about 4 pence. --Nares. 8. (Mech.) A piece of metal prepared to be made into something by a further operation, as a coin, screw, nuts. 9. (Dominoes) A piece or division of a piece, without spots; as, the ``double blank''; the ``six blank.'' In blank, with an essential portion to be supplied by another; as, to make out a check in blank.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Blank Blank, a. [OE. blank, blonc, blaunc, blaunche, fr. F. blanc, fem. blanche, fr. OHG. blanch shining, bright, white, G. blank; akin to E. blink, cf. also AS. blanc white. ?98. See Blink, and cf. 1st Blanch.] 1. Of a white or pale color; without color. To the blank moon Her office they prescribed. --Milton. 2. Free from writing, printing, or marks; having an empty space to be filled in with some special writing; -- said of checks, official documents, etc.; as, blank paper; a blank check; a blank ballot. 3. Utterly confounded or discomfited. Adam . . . astonied stood, and blank. --Milton. 4. Empty; void; without result; fruitless; as, a blank space; a blank day. 5. Lacking characteristics which give variety; as, a blank desert; a blank wall; destitute of interests, affections, hopes, etc.; as, to live a blank existence; destitute of sensations; as, blank unconsciousness. 6. Lacking animation and intelligence, or their associated characteristics, as expression of face, look, etc.; expressionless; vacant. ``Blank and horror-stricken faces.'' --C. Kingsley. The blank . . . glance of a half returned consciousness. --G. Eliot. 7. Absolute; downright; unmixed; as, blank terror. Blank bar (Law), a plea put in to oblige the plaintiff in an action of trespass to assign the certain place where the trespass was committed; -- called also common bar. Blank cartridge, a cartridge containing no ball. Blank deed. See Deed. Blank door, or Blank window (Arch.), a depression in a wall of the size of a door or window, either for symmetrical effect, or for the more convenient insertion of a door or window at a future time, should it be needed. Blank indorsement (Law), an indorsement which omits the name of the person in whose favor it is made; it is usually made by simply writing the name of the indorser on the back of the bill. Blank line (Print.), a vacant space of the breadth of a line, on a printed page; a line of quadrats. Blank tire (Mech.), a tire without a flange. Blank tooling. See Blind tooling, under Blind. Blank verse. See under Verse. Blank wall, a wall in which there is no opening; a dead wall.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Blank Blank, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Blanked; p. pr. & vb. n. Blanking.] [Cf. 3d Blanch.] 1. To make void; to annul. [Obs.] --Spenser. 2. To blanch; to make blank; to damp the spirits of; to dispirit or confuse. [Obs.] Each opposite that blanks the face of joy. --Shak.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(blanks, blanking, blanked) 1. Something that is blank has nothing on it. We could put some of the pictures over on that blank wall over there... He tore a blank page from his notebook. ...blank cassettes. ADJ 2. A blank is a space which is left in a piece of writing or on a printed form for you to fill in particular information. Put a word in each blank to complete the sentence. N-COUNT 3. If you look blank, your face shows no feeling, understanding, or interest. Abbot looked blank. 'I don't quite follow, sir.'... His daughter gave him a blank look. ADJ • blankly She stared at him blankly. ADV: ADV with v • blankness His eyes have the blankness of someone half-asleep. N-UNCOUNT 4. If your mind or memory is a blank, you cannot think of anything or remember anything. I'm sorry, but my mind is a blank... I came round in hospital and did not know where I was. Everything was a complete blank. N-SING: a N 5. Blanks are gun cartridges which contain explosive but do not contain a bullet, so that they cause no harm when the gun is fired. ...a starter pistol which only fires blanks. N-COUNT: usu pl 6. see also point-blank 7. If you draw a blank when you are looking for someone or something, you do not succeed in finding them. (INFORMAL) They drew a blank in their search for the driver. PHRASE: V inflects 8. If your mind goes blank, you are suddenly unable to think of anything appropriate to say, for example in reply to a question. My mind went totally blank. PHRASE: V inflects

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

I. a. 1. Void, empty. 2. White, of a white color. 3. Astonished, confounded, confused, dumfounded, disconcerted, nonplussed, struck dumb. See amaze. 4. Utter, pure, simple, unmixed, unmingled, unadulterated, perfect, entire, complete, absolute, unabated, unqualified, unmitigated, mere, the merest. II. n. 1. Void, vacancy, empty place, empty space, unfilled room. 2. Blank form, form. 3. Unwrought piece (of metal), block.

1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue

To look blank; to appear disappointed or confounded.

Moby Thesaurus

Olympian, absence, absolute, aloof, arid, awayness, backward, bald, bare, barren, bashful, bewildered, black, blah, bland, blankminded, bleached, blind, blind-alley, bloodless, box, calm, cecal, characterless, chasm, chilled, chilly, chirograph, choked, choked off, clean slate, clear, closed, cold, colorless, complete, confused, constrained, constricted, contracted, cool, dazed, dead, dead-end, deadpan, deprivation, detached, devoid, discomfited, disconcerted, discreet, dismal, distant, docket, document, dossier, downright, draggy, drearisome, dreary, dry, dryasdust, dull, dusty, effete, elephantine, emotionless, emptiness, empty, empty space, empty-headed, empty-minded, empty-pated, empty-skulled, etiolated, expressionless, fade, fatuous, featureless, file, fishy, flat, forbidding, form, frigid, frosty, glassy, guarded, heavy, helpless, ho-hum, hollow, holograph, icy, impassive, impersonal, inaccessible, inane, inanity, incogitant, inexcitable, inexpressive, insipid, instrument, introverted, jejune, lack, leaden, legal document, legal instrument, legal paper, lifeless, line, low-spirited, mindless, modest, naked, neverness, nil, nirvanic, nonexistence, nonoccurrence, nonplussed, nonpresence, nothing, nothingness, nowhereness, nude, null, null and void, oblivious, official document, offish, out-and-out, overlook, oversight, pale, pallid, paper, papers, parchment, passive, pedestrian, perfect, perplexed, personal file, plain, plodding, pointless, poker-faced, poky, ponderous, preterition, pure, quietistic, rattlebrained, rattleheaded, regular, relaxed, remote, removed, repressed, reserved, restrained, reticent, retiring, roll, scatterbrained, scrip, script, scroll, sheer, shrinking, shut, skip, slow, solemn, space, spiritless, squeezed shut, standoff, standoffish, stark, sterile, stiff, stodgy, straight-out, strangulated, stuffy, subdued, subtraction, superficial, suppressed, tabula rasa, tasteless, tedious, thoughtfree, thoughtless, tranquil, unadorned, unadulterated, unaffable, unapproachable, unarrayed, uncomplicated, uncongenial, undecked, undecorated, undemonstrative, undressed, unembellished, unexpansive, unexpressive, unfurbished, ungarnished, ungenial, unideaed, unintellectual, unlively, unmixed, unoccupied, unopen, unopened, unornamented, unqualified, unreasoning, unrelieved, unsophisticated, unthinking, untrimmed, unvarnished, unvented, unventilated, utter, vacant, vacuous, vacuum, vapid, void, want, white, with nothing inside, withdrawn, without content, wooden, writ, writing, zero