blank

Universal Words adjective, noun, verb adjective 1 empty, with nothing written, printed or recorded on it: Sign your name in the blank space below. * a blank cassette * Write on one side of the paper and leave the other side blank. * She turned to a blank page in her notebook. 2 (of a wall or screen) empty; with no pictures, marks or decoration: blank whitewashed walls * Suddenly the screen went blank. 3 showing no feeling, understanding or interest: She stared at me with a blank expression on her face. * Steve looked blank and said he had no idea what I was talking about. * Suddenly my mind went blank (= I could not remember anything). 4 [onlybeforenoun] (of negative things) complete and total: a blank refusal / denial seealsoPOINT-BLANK blankly adverb: She stared blankly into space, not knowing what to say next. blankness noun [U] noun 1 [C] an empty space on a printed form or document for you to write answers, information, etc. in: Please fill in the blanks with a black pen. * If you can't answer the question, leave a blank. 2 [sing.] a state of not being able to remember anything: My mind was a blank and I couldn't remember her name. 3 [C] (also blank cartridge) a CARTRIDGE in a gun that contains an explosive but no bullet: The troops fired blanks in the air. IDIOMS see DRAWv. verb 1 [VN] (BrE, informal) to ignore sb completely: I saw her on the bus this morning, but she totally blanked me. 2 [V] (AmE) to be suddenly unable to remember or think of sth: I knew the answer, but I totally blanked during the test. PHRASALVERBS blank out to suddenly become empty: The screen blanked out. blank sth<->out 1 to cover sth completely so that it cannot be seen: All the names in the letter had been blanked out. 2 to deliberately forget sth unpleasant: She had tried to blank out the whole experience.