blank

See also: Blank and blänk

English

Etymology

From Middle English blank, blonc, blaunc, blaunche, from Anglo-Norman blonc, blaunc, blaunche from Old French blanc, feminine blanche, from Frankish *blank (“gleaming, white, blinding”) from Proto-Germanic *blankaz (“white, bright, blinding”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰleyǵ- (“to shine”). Akin to Old High German blanch (“shining, bright, white”) (German blank), Old English blanc (“white, grey”), blanca (“white steed”). More at blink, blind, blanch.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /blæŋk/
• Rhymes: -æŋk

Adjective

blank (comparative blanker or more blank, superlative blankest or most blank)

1. (archaic) White or pale; without colour.
   • Milton

     To the blank moon / Her office they prescribed.

2. Free from writing, printing, or marks; having an empty space to be filled in

   blank paper

   a blank check

   a blank ballot

3. (sports) Scoreless; without any goals or points.
   • 2011 December 27, Mike Henson, “Norwich 0 - 2 Tottenham”, in BBC Sport^[1]:

     Referee Michael Oliver failed to detect a foul in a crowded box and the Canaries escaped down the tunnel with the scoreline still blank.

4. (figuratively) Lacking characteristics which give variety; uniform.

   a blank desert; a blank wall; blank unconsciousness

5. Absolute; downright; sheer.

   There was a look of blank terror on his face.

6. Without expression.

   Failing to understand the question, he gave me a blank stare.

7. Utterly confounded or discomfited.
   • Milton

     Adam […] astonied stood, and blank.

8. Empty; void; without result; fruitless.

   a blank day

9. Devoid of thoughts, memory, or inspiration.

   The shock left his memory blank.

10. (military) Ammunition with propellant but without bullets; unbulleted. (used for training)

    The recruits were issued with blank rounds.

Descendants

• Belizean Creole: blank

Translations

without color

• Bulgarian: бял (bg) (bjal), безцветен (bg) (bezcveten)
• Danish: farveløs (da), tom (da), blank
• German: ausdruckslos (de)
• Polish: bezbarwny (pl) m

• Romanian: inexpresiv (ro) m, n, neexpresiv m, n
• Russian: бе́лый (ru) (bélyj), бле́дный (ru) (blédnyj), бесцве́тный (ru) (bescvétnyj)
• Spanish: en blanco

free from writing, printing or marks

• Arabic: خَالٍ‏‎ (ar) (ḵālin) (indefinite), اَلْخَالِي‏‎ (al-ḵālī) (definite), فَارِغ‏‎ (fāriḡ)
• Bulgarian: празен (bg) (prazen), неизписан (bg) (neizpisan), непопълнен (bg) (nepopǎlnen)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 空白 (zh) (kòngbái)

• Danish: tom (da), hvid (da), ubeskrevet
• Estonian: tühi
• Finnish: tyhjä (fi)
• French: blanc (fr), vierge (fr)
• Georgian: სუფთა (supta)
• German: unbeschrieben, unausgefüllt
• Ido: vakua (io)

• Italian: in bianco (it)
• Japanese: 空の (ja) (からの, kara-no), からの (kara-no)
• Ngazidja Comorian: -eu
• Norwegian: blank
• Polish: czysty (pl) m, pusty (pl) m, niewypełniony m, niezapisany m, niezadrukowany m
• Portuguese: em branco (pt)
• Romanian: nescris (ro) m, n, curat (ro) m, n, necompletat m, n
• Russian: чи́стый (ru) (čístyj), пусто́й (ru) (pustój), неиспи́санный (neispísannyj), незапо́лненный (ru) (nezapólnennyj)
• Spanish: blanco (es)
• Swedish: blank (sv), tom (sv)

blank ammunition

• Greek: αβολίδωτος (avolídotos)

• Russian: холостой (ru) (xolostoj)

Noun

blank (plural blanks)

1. A cartridge that is designed to simulate the noise and smoke of real gunfire without actually firing a projectile.
2. An physical empty space; a void, for example on a paper
3. An empty space in one's memory; a forgotten item or memory
   • Jonathan Swift

     I cannot write a paper full, I used to do; and yet I will not forgive a blank of half an inch from you.

   • Hallam

     From this time there ensues a long blank in the history of French legislation.

   • George Eliot

     I was ill. I can't tell how long — it was a blank.

4. A space to be filled in on a form or template.

   Write your answers in the blanks.

5. A paper without marks or characters, or with space left for writing; a ballot, form, contract, etc. that has not yet been filled in.
   • Palfrey

     The freemen signified their approbation by an inscribed vote, and their dissent by a blank.

6. A lot by which nothing is gained; a ticket in a lottery on which no prize is indicated.
   • Dryden

     In Fortune's lottery lies / A heap of blanks, like this, for one small prize.

7. (archaic, historical) A kind of base silver money, first coined in England by Henry V., and worth about 8 pence
8. (archaic, historical) a French coin of the seventeenth century, worth about 4 pence.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Nares to this entry?)

9. (engineering) A piece of metal prepared to be made into something by a further operation, such as a coin, screw, nuts.
10. (dominoes) A domino without spots

    the double blank

    the six blank

11. The space character; the character resulting from pressing the space-bar on a keyboard.
12. The point aimed at in a target, marked with a white spot
13. (figuratively) The object to which anything is directed or aimed.
    • Shakespeare

      Let me still remain / The true blank of thine eye.

14. Aim; shot; range.
    • Shakespeare

      I have stood […] within the blank of his displeasure / For my free speech.

15. (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.

Synonyms

• (bullet that doesn't harm): blank cartridge, blank bullet

Translations

simulation cartridge

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 空包彈 (zh), 空包弹 (zh) (kōngbāodàn)

• Danish: løs patron c
• Dutch: losse flodder
• Finnish: paukkupatruuna, räkäpää (fi) (slang)
• French: balle à blanc f, cartouche à blanc f
• German: Platzpatrone f
• Indonesian: peluru kosong

• Japanese: 空包 (くうほう, kūhō)
• Polish: ślepy nabój m
• Portuguese: festim m
• Romanian: cartuș orb (ro) n (de exercițiu)
• Russian: холосто́й патро́н m (xolostój patrón), холосто́й (ru) m (xolostój)
• Spanish: cartucho de fogueo m, bala de salva f
• Swedish: lös patron c

void space on a paper

• Bulgarian: празнина (bg) f (praznina), празно място (prazno mjasto)
• Danish: ^{(please verify)} tom plads c
• Finnish: tyhjä tila
• French: blanc (fr) m

• Polish: puste miejsce n
• Portuguese: branco (pt) m, lacuna (pt) f
• Russian: про́пуск (ru) m (própusk), пробе́л (ru) m (probél), пустота́ (ru) f (pustotá), пусто́е ме́сто n (pustóje mésto)

space to be filled in on a form or template

• Bulgarian: формуляр m (formuljar), бланка f (blanka)
• Danish: rubrik c
• Indonesian: isian (id)
• Polish: puste miejsce n

• Portuguese: lacuna (pt) f
• Romanian: (necompletat) loc gol n
• Russian: пусто́е ме́сто n (pustóje mésto)
• Spanish: espacio en blanco m

kind of base silver money

piece of metal

• Bulgarian: заготовка (bg) f (zagotovka)
• Danish: råemne n
• Finnish: aihio (fi)

• French: préforme (fr)
• Russian: загото́вка (ru) f (zagotóvka), болва́нка (ru) f (bolvánka)

piece or division of a piece

• Danish: blanko-

• French: préforme (fr)

space character

• Bulgarian: интервал (bg) m (interval), шпация (bg) f (špacija)
• Czech: mezera f
• Danish: mellemrum n
• Dutch: spatie (nl)
• Finnish: tyhjämerkki, välilyönti (fi)
• French: espace (fr)
• German: Leerzeichen (de) n
• Norwegian:

  Bokmål: mellomrom n

  Nynorsk: mellomrom n

• Polish: spacja (pl) f
• Portuguese: espaço (pt) m
• Russian: пробе́л (ru) m (probél)
• Spanish: espacio (es) m
• Swedish: mellanslag (sv) n

Verb

blank (third-person singular simple present blanks, present participle blanking, simple past and past participle blanked)

1. (transitive) To make void; to erase.

   I blanked out my previous entry.

2. (transitive, slang) To ignore.

   She blanked me for no reason.

3. (transitive) To prevent from scoring, for example in a sporting event.

   The team was blanked.

   England blanks Wales to advance to the final.

4. (intransitive) To become blank.
5. (intransitive, idiomatic) To be temporarily unable to remember.

   I'm blanking on her name right now.

Usage notes

• Almost any sense of this can occur with out. See blank out.

Translations

to make void

• Bulgarian: изтривам (bg) (iztrivam), изличавам (bg) (izličavam)
• Danish: strege
• Portuguese: apagar (pt)

• Russian: стира́ть (ru) impf (stirátʹ), стере́ть (ru) pf (sterétʹ)
• Spanish: borrar (es), blanquear (es)
• Swedish: blanka (sv)

to prevent from scoring

• Bulgarian: бия на нула (bija na nula)

Derived terms

Terms derived from the adjective, noun, or verb blank

• blank canvas
• blank check
• blank end

• blankly
• blankness
• blank out

• Blankshire
• Blanktown
• blank verse
• Blankville
• draw a blank
• draw blanks
• in blank

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Afrikaans

Etymology

From Dutch blank.

Adjective

blank (attributive blanke, comparative blanker, superlative blankste)

1. white
2. White; Caucasian

Antonyms

• swart

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Dalmatian

Etymology

From Late Latin *blancus (compare Italian bianco, French blanc, Spanish blanco, Portuguese branco), from Proto-Germanic *blankaz (“bright, shining, blinding, white”), from Proto-Indo-European *bhleg- (“to shine”).

Adjective

blank m (plural blanke, feminine blanca)

1. white

Synonyms

• jualb

References

• 2000, Matteo Giulio Bartoli, Il Dalmatico: Resti di un’antica lingua romanza parlata da Veglia a Ragusa e sua collocazione nella Romània appenino-balcanica, Istituto della Enciclopedia Italiana.

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Danish

Adjective

blank

1. bright, shining, glossy
2. empty
3. blank
4. broke (be without money)

Inflection

Inflection of blank
	Positive	Comparative	Superlative
Common singular	blank	blankere	blankest2
Neuter singular	blankt	blankere	blankest2
Plural	blanke	blankere	blankest2
Definite attributive1	blanke	blankere	blankeste
1) When an adjective is applied predicatively to something definite, the corresponding "indefinite" form is used. 2) The "indefinite" superlatives may not be used attributively.

References

• “blank” in Den Danske Ordbog

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Dutch

Etymology

From Old Dutch *blank, from Proto-Germanic *blankaz.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /blɑŋk/

• Audio

  (file)

Adjective

blank (comparative blanker, superlative blankst)

1. white, pale
2. white (having a light skin tone)

Inflection

Inflection of blank
uninflected	blank
inflected	blanke
comparative	blanker
		positive	comparative	superlative
predicative/adverbial		blank	blanker	het blankst het blankste
indefinite	m./f. sing.	blanke	blankere	blankste
	n. sing.	blank	blanker	blankste
	plural	blanke	blankere	blankste
definite		blanke	blankere	blankste
partitive		blanks	blankers	—

Derived terms

• blank staan

Descendants

• Afrikaans: blank

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German

Etymology

From Middle High German blanc, from Old High German blanc (“shining, bright”), from Proto-Germanic *blankaz.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /blaŋk/

• Audio

  (file)

• Rhymes: -aŋk

Adjective

blank (comparative blanker, superlative am blanksten)

1. (archaic) bright
2. spotlessly clean; shining; polished

   Du musst die Platte blank scheuern.

   You must rub the platter until it is shining.

3. naked; uncovered
4. pure; sheer

   Blanke Wut packte ihn.

   Sheer anger seized him.

5. (colloquial) broke; out of money

Declension

Positive forms of blank

number & gender		singular			plural
		masculine	feminine	neuter	all genders
predicative		er ist blank	sie ist blank	es ist blank	sie sind blank
strong declension (without article)	nominative	blanker	blanke	blankes	blanke
	genitive	blanken	blanker	blanken	blanker
	dative	blankem	blanker	blankem	blanken
	accusative	blanken	blanke	blankes	blanke
weak declension (with definite article)	nominative	der blanke	die blanke	das blanke	die blanken
	genitive	des blanken	der blanken	des blanken	der blanken
	dative	dem blanken	der blanken	dem blanken	den blanken
	accusative	den blanken	die blanke	das blanke	die blanken
mixed declension (with indefinite article)	nominative	ein blanker	eine blanke	ein blankes	(keine) blanken
	genitive	eines blanken	einer blanken	eines blanken	(keiner) blanken
	dative	einem blanken	einer blanken	einem blanken	(keinen) blanken
	accusative	einen blanken	eine blanke	ein blankes	(keine) blanken

Comparative forms of blank

number & gender		singular			plural
		masculine	feminine	neuter	all genders
predicative		er ist blanker	sie ist blanker	es ist blanker	sie sind blanker
strong declension (without article)	nominative	blankerer	blankere	blankeres	blankere
	genitive	blankeren	blankerer	blankeren	blankerer
	dative	blankerem	blankerer	blankerem	blankeren
	accusative	blankeren	blankere	blankeres	blankere
weak declension (with definite article)	nominative	der blankere	die blankere	das blankere	die blankeren
	genitive	des blankeren	der blankeren	des blankeren	der blankeren
	dative	dem blankeren	der blankeren	dem blankeren	den blankeren
	accusative	den blankeren	die blankere	das blankere	die blankeren
mixed declension (with indefinite article)	nominative	ein blankerer	eine blankere	ein blankeres	(keine) blankeren
	genitive	eines blankeren	einer blankeren	eines blankeren	(keiner) blankeren
	dative	einem blankeren	einer blankeren	einem blankeren	(keinen) blankeren
	accusative	einen blankeren	eine blankere	ein blankeres	(keine) blankeren

Superlative forms of blank

number & gender		singular			plural
		masculine	feminine	neuter	all genders
predicative		er ist am blanksten	sie ist am blanksten	es ist am blanksten	sie sind am blanksten
strong declension (without article)	nominative	blankster	blankste	blankstes	blankste
	genitive	blanksten	blankster	blanksten	blankster
	dative	blankstem	blankster	blankstem	blanksten
	accusative	blanksten	blankste	blankstes	blankste
weak declension (with definite article)	nominative	der blankste	die blankste	das blankste	die blanksten
	genitive	des blanksten	der blanksten	des blanksten	der blanksten
	dative	dem blanksten	der blanksten	dem blanksten	den blanksten
	accusative	den blanksten	die blankste	das blankste	die blanksten
mixed declension (with indefinite article)	nominative	ein blankster	eine blankste	ein blankstes	(keine) blanksten
	genitive	eines blanksten	einer blanksten	eines blanksten	(keiner) blanksten
	dative	einem blanksten	einer blanksten	einem blanksten	(keinen) blanksten
	accusative	einen blanksten	eine blankste	ein blankstes	(keine) blanksten

Derived terms

• blitzblank

Further reading

• blank in Duden online

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Norwegian Nynorsk

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /blɑŋk/

Adjective

blank (masculine and feminine blank, neuter blankt, definite singular and plural blanke, comparative blankare, indefinite superlative blankast, definite superlative blankaste)

1. shiny, reflective

   Dei pussa sølvtøyet så det vart blankt.

   They shined the silver until it was shiny.

2. exactly, point zero (of time)

   Han sprang 100 meter på ti blank.

   He ran 100 meters in ten point zero seconds.

3. blank, empty

   Ho gav dottera eit blankt ark til å teikna på.

   She gave her daughter a blank piece of paper to draw on.

4. without knowledge about something

   Eg er heilt blank om dette temaet.

   I know nothing about this subject.

References

• “blank” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

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Plautdietsch

Adjective

blank

1. shiny, lustrous, glittering

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Swedish

Etymology

From Middle Low German blank, from Old Saxon blank, from Proto-Germanic *blankaz. Displaced native Swedish black, from Old Norse blakkr.

Adjective

blank (comparative blankare, superlative blankast)

1. reflective, shiny

Inflection

Inflection of blank
Indefinite/attributive	Positive	Comparative	Superlative2
Common singular	blank	blankare	blankast
Neuter singular	blankt	blankare	blankast
Plural	blanka	blankare	blankast
Definite	Positive	Comparative	Superlative
Masculine singular1	blanke	blankare	blankaste
All	blanka	blankare	blankaste
1) Only used, optionally, to refer to things whose natural gender is masculine. 2) The indefinite superlative forms are only used in an attributive role.