blank
IPA: bɫˈæŋk
noun
- (archaic, historical, obsolete) A small French coin, originally of silver, afterwards of copper, worth 5 deniers; also a silver coin of Henry V current in the parts of France then held by the English, worth about 8 pence .
- (obsolete) A nonplus [16th century].
- The white spot in the centre of a target; hence (figuratively) the object to which anything is directed or aimed, the range of such aim .
- A lot by which nothing is gained; a ticket in a lottery on which no prize is indicated [since the 16th century].
- An empty space; a void, for example on a paper .
- A space to be filled in on a form or template.
- Provisional words printed in italics (instead of blank spaces) in a bill before Parliament, being matters of practical detail, of which the final form will be settled in Committee .
- (now chiefly US) A document, paper, or form with spaces left blank to be filled up at the pleasure of the person to whom it is given (e.g. a blank charter, ballot, form, contract, etc.), or as the event may determine; a blank form .
- An empty form without substance; anything insignificant; nothing at all .
- An unprinted leaf of a book [20th century].
- (literature) Blank verse .
- (mechanics, engineering) A piece of material roughly cut, forged, cast, etc. to the size and shape of the thing to be made, and ready for the finishing operations; (coining) the disc of metal before stamping .
- Any article of glass on which subsequent processing is required [since the 19th century].
- (electric recording) The shaved wax ready for placing on a recording machine for making wax records with a stylus [20th century].
- (figurative) A vacant space, place, or period; a void [since the 17th century].
- The ¹ / ₂₃₀₄₀₀ of a grain [17th century].
- An empty space in one's memory; a forgotten item or memory [since the 18th century].
- A dash written in place of an omitted letter or word [since the 18th century]
- The space character; the character resulting from pressing the space bar on a keyboard.
- (dominoes) A domino without points on one or both of its divisions.
- (figurative, in the expression ‘shooting blanks’, sports) An ineffective effort which achieves nothing [since the 20th century].
- (chemistry) A sample for a control experiment that does not contain any of the analyte of interest, in order to deliberately produce a non-detection to verify that a detection is distinguishable from it.
- (slang) Infertile semen.
- A surname.
- (chiefly dated) Used as an anonymous placeholder for a person's name.
- (firearms) Short for blank cartridge. [since the 19th century].
verb
- (transitive) To make void; to erase.
- (transitive, slang) To ignore (a person) deliberately.
- (transitive, aviation, of a control surface) To render ineffective by blanketing with turbulent airflow, such as from aircraft wake or reverse thrust.
- (transitive) To prevent from scoring; for example, in a sporting event.
- (intransitive) To become blank.
- (intransitive) To be temporarily unable to remember.
adjective
- (archaic) White or pale; without colour.
- Free from writing, printing, or marks; having an empty space to be filled in
- (figurative) Lacking characteristics which give variety; uniform.
- Absolute; downright; sheer.
- Without expression, usually due to incomprehension.
- Utterly confounded or discomfited.
- Empty; void; without result; fruitless.
- Devoid of thoughts, memory, or inspiration.
- (military) Of ammunition: having propellant but no bullets; unbulleted.
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Examples of "blank" in Sentences
- Keeping my expression blank, I said, Xerxadrea was a friend.
- “Orphans,” he mused, struggling to keep his expression blank.
- Catherine kept her expression blank as Miss Almay shot her and Theresa a scathing look.
- Instead she kept her expression blank and led Piper and Leo through the bar to a darkened hallway in the back.
- For a quick psychic shield, simply lower your eyelids, put a vague smile on your face, and repeat the word blank in your mind or draw circles around your head with your dominant index finger to balance your thoughts and protect you.
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