— blankness , n.
/blangk/ , adj., blanker, blankest , n. , v.
adj.
1. (of paper or other writing surface) having no marks; not written or printed on: a blank sheet of paper.
2. not filled in, as a printed form: a blank check.
3. unrelieved or unbroken by ornament, opening, decoration, etc.: a blank wall.
4. lacking some usual or completing feature: a blank roll of film.
5. (of a recording medium) containing no previously recorded information: a blank videocassette; a blank floppy disk. Cf. prerecorded .
6. void of interest, variety, results, etc.: She sometimes occupied her blank days reading detective stories.
7. showing no attention, interest, or emotion: a blank expression on his face.
8. disconcerted; nonplussed; speechless: He looked blank when I asked him why he applied for the job.
9. complete; utter; unmitigated: blank stupidity.
10. Archaic. white; pale; colorless.
n.
11. a place where something is lacking; an empty space: a blank in one's memory.
12. a space in a printed form, test, etc., to be filled in: Write your name in the blank.
13. a printed form containing such spaces: Have you filled out one of these blanks?
14. a dash put in place of an omitted letter, series of letters, etc., esp. to avoid writing a word considered profane or obscene.
15. Metalworking. a piece of metal ready to be drawn, pressed, or machined into a finished object.
16. Archery. the bull's-eye.
17. the object toward which anything is directed; aim; target.
18. See blank cartridge .
19. draw a blank ,
a. to fail in an attempt; be unsuccessful: We've drawn a blank in the investigation.
b. to fail to comprehend or be unable to recollect: He asked me their phone number and I drew a blank.
v.t.
20. to cross out or delete, esp. in order to invalidate or void (usually fol. by out ): to blank out an entry.
21. Informal. to keep (an opponent) from scoring in a game.
22. Metalworking. to stamp or punch out of flat stock, as with a die.
[ 1300-50; ME (n. and adj.) blanc (adj.) blanca white horse, OHG blanch bright, white ]
Syn. 1-4. See empty. 8. dumfounded, confused, astounded. 9. pure, simple, unadulterated; perfect, absolute, unqualified. 11. void, vacancy, emptiness; gap, lacuna, hiatus.