blank

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See also: Blank and blänk

English

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Etymology

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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”), Spanish blanco. More at blink, blind, blanch. Doublet of blanc.

Pronunciation

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Adjective

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

  1. (archaic) White or pale; without colour.
    • 1667, John Milton, “Book IX”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC, lines 656–657:
      To the blanc Moone / Her office they preſcrib'd,
  2. Free from writing, printing, or marks; having an empty space to be filled in
    blank paper
    a blank check
    a blank ballot
    a blank CD
    • 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.
  3. (figurative) Lacking characteristics which give variety; uniform.
    a blank desert; a blank wall; blank unconsciousness
  4. Absolute; complete; downright; sheer.
    a blank refusal to cooperate
    There was a look of blank terror on his face.
  5. (figurative) Without expression, usually because of incomprehension.
    Failing to understand the question, he gave me a blank stare.
  6. Utterly confounded or discomfited.
    • 1667, John Milton, “Book VIII”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC, lines 888–890:
      Adam […] Aſtonied ſtood and Blank,
  7. Empty; void#Adjectivevoid]]; without result; fruitless; futile.
    a blank day
  8. Devoid of thoughts, memory, or inspiration.
    The shock left his memory blank.
  9. (military) Of ammunition: having propellant but no bullets; unbulleted.
    The recruits were issued blank rounds for a training exercise.

Descendants

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  • Belizean Creole: blank

Translations

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Noun

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blank (plural blanks)

  1. (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 [15th–17th century].
  2. (obsolete) A nonplus [16th century].
  3. 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 [since the 16th century].
  4. A lot by which nothing is gained; a ticket in a lottery on which no prize is indicated [since the 16th century].
  5. An empty space; a void, for example on a paper [since the 16th century].
    1. A space to be filled in on a form or template.
      Write your answers in the blanks.
    2. Provisional words printed in italics (instead of blank spaces) in a bill before Parliament, being matters of practical detail, of which the final form is to be settled in committee [since the 19th century].
  6. (now chiefly US) A document, paper, or form with spaces left blank to be filled in 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 [since the 16th century].
    • 1859, John Gorham Palfrey, History of New England‎[4], volume 1:
      […] and the freemen signified their approbation by an inscribed vote, and their dissent by a blank.
    1. An empty form without substance; anything insignificant; nothing at all [since the 17th century].
    2. An unprinted leaf of a book [20th century].
  7. (literature) Blank verse [since the 16th century].
  8. (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 [since the 16th century].
    1. Any article of glass on which subsequent processing is required [since the 19th century].
    2. (electric recording) The shaved wax ready for placing on a recording machine for making wax records with a stylus [20th century].
  9. (figurative) A vacant space, place, or period; a void [since the 17th century].
  10. The 1 / 230400 of a grain [17th century].
  11. An empty space in one's memory; a forgotten item or memory [since the 18th century].
    • 1736, Jonathan Swift, Letters‎[5]:
      My head is so ill that I cannot write a paper full as I used to do; and yet I will not forgive a blank of half an inch from you.
    • 1818, Henry Hallam, View of the State of Europe During the Middle Ages‎[6]:
      From this time there ensues a long blank in the history of French legislation.
    • 1863, George Eliot, Romola‎[7]:
      “I was ill. I can't tell how long — it was a blank. […] ”
  12. A dash written in place of an omitted letter or word [since the 18th century]
  13. The space character; the character resulting from pressing the space bar on a keyboard.
  14. (dominoes) A domino without points on one or both of its divisions.
    the double blank
    the six blank
  15. (firearms) Short for blank cartridge. [since the 19th century].
    It was an unloaded gun that fired only blanks.
  16. (figurative, in the expression ‘shooting blanks’, sports) An ineffective effort which achieves nothing [since the 20th century].
    1. (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.
    2. (slang) Infertile semen.

Synonyms

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Translations

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Verb

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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 (a person) deliberately.
    She blanked me for no reason.
    • 2024 February 4, Sonia Horon, “Taylor Swift goes viral for BLANKING Celine Dion on stage at Grammys 2024 after diva emerges from battle with stiff-person syndrome to present her with historic Album of the Year”, in dailymail.co.uk‎[8]:
      Taylor Swift goes viral for blanking Celine Dion on stage at Grammys 2024 […] Taylor Swift received backlash for being 'disrespectful' by 'ignoring' Celine Dion while accepting the award for Album of the Year at the Grammys on Sunday.
  3. (transitive, aviation, of a control surface) To render ineffective by blanketing with turbulent airflow, such as from aircraft wake or reverse thrust.
    At high angles of attack, the shuttle’s rudder is blanked by the fuselage and wings, forcing it to use its RCS thrusters for yaw control.
  4. (transitive) To prevent from scoring; for example, in a sporting event.
    The team was blanked.
    England blanks Wales to advance to the final.
  5. (intransitive) To become blank.
    • 2007 February 14, NASA, “4.5.2 Two-Engine-Out Contingency Software Termination”, in Contingency Aborts 21007/31007‎[9], archived from the original on 8 March 2022, page 45:
      In OPS 6, the 2 EO color field does blank at SSME fine count. Once in fine count in route to an RTLS MECO, the energy state is such that one engine can carry the orbiter though powered pitch-down to a healthy MECO condition with standard RTLS guidance.
  6. (intransitive, informal) To experience a temporary lapse of memory; to be temporarily unable to remember a particular fact. Note: Usually used in the first person, present progressive tense; and commonly followed by on to create a transitive phrasal verb.
    Synonyms: draw a blank, freeze, freeze up
    I’m blanking on her name right now.
    She asked him a simple question during the interview, and he blanked.

Usage notes

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Translations

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Derived terms

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Terms derived from the adjective, noun, or verb blank

Afrikaans

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Etymology

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From Dutch blank.

Pronunciation

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Adjective

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blank (attributive blanke, comparative blanker, superlative blankste)

  1. white
  2. White; Caucasian

Antonyms

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Dalmatian

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Adjective

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blank m (plural blanke, feminine blanka)

  1. Alternative form of blanc

Danish

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Etymology

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From Middle Low German blank, from Old Saxon blank, from Proto-West Germanic *blank.

Adjective

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blank

  1. shiny, reflective, glossy
    Antonym: mat
  2. (of e.g. paper) empty, blank, bearing no inscription or drawings
  3. direct, without circumvention or additions
    • 2023 January 17, Malte Bruhn, Altinget‎[10]:
      “En samlet opposition siger blankt nej til regeringens adgangsbillet til forsvarsforlig.”
      (please add an English translation of this quotation)
  4. (colloquial) broke (without money)
    Synonym: flad
  5. (colloquial) ignorant, clueless

Inflection

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Inflection of blank
Positive Comparative Superlative
Indefinte common singular blank blankere blankest2
Indefinite 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

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Dutch

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Etymology

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

Pronunciation

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Adjective

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blank (comparative blanker, superlative blankst)

  1. white, pale
  2. white (having a light skin tone)
    Synonym: wit
    Coordinate terms: zwart, bruin, donker
  3. not written or printed on
    Synonym: blanco
    Heb je nog een blank velletje papier voor me?
    Do you have a blank sheet of paper for me?
  4. colorless, transparent
  5. pure

Usage notes

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  • (having a light skin tone): Blank is the traditional word for “white” in Dutch, particularly in Europe, and is usually intended as a neutral descriptor. It is sometimes asserted to be tainted by the colonial era and to have a supposed connotation of cleanliness and purity. Certain people, particularly people of colour, activists, and media in Europe therefore prefer wit since the late 2010s, possibly influenced by English, although blank remains very common among white people. See Blank en wit in het racismedebat on the Dutch Wikipedia.

Declension

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Declension 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

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Descendants

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German

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Etymology

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From Middle High German blanc, from Old High German blanc (“shining, bright”), from Proto-West Germanic *blank. Doublet of Plenk.

Pronunciation

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Adjective

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blank (strong nominative masculine singular blanker, 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. bare; naked; uncovered
    mit blankem Hintern ― with one’s behind uncovered
  4. pure; sheer
    Blanke Wut packte ihn.
    Sheer anger seized him.
  5. (colloquial) broke; out of money
  6. (card games) being a player’s last one of a respective grouping of cards (which means that the card is unprotected when the player must follow suit in trick-taking games)
    Hätte ich Trumpf ausgespielt, wäre mein Fuchs blank gewesen.
    If I had played trump, my “fox” [ace of diamonds in Doppelkopf] would have been my last trump card.

Declension

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Positive forms of blank
number & gender singular plural
masculine feminine neuter
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
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
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

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Further reading

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Norwegian Bokmål

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Etymology

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From Middle Low German blank.

Adjective

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blank (masculine and feminine blank, neuter blankt, definite singular and plural blanke, comparative blankere, indefinite superlative blankest, definite superlative blankeste)

  1. glossy, shining, shiny
  2. bright, clear, glittering, sunny
  3. blank (e.g. cheque, paper, mind)

Derived terms

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References

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Norwegian Nynorsk

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Pronunciation

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Adjective

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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

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Plautdietsch

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Etymology

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From Middle Low German blank, from Old Saxon blank, from Proto-West Germanic *blank.

Adjective

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blank

  1. shiny, lustrous, glittering

Silesian

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Etymology

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Borrowed from German blank.

Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): /ˈblaŋk/
  • Rhymes: -aŋk
  • Syllabification: blank

Adverb

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blank

  1. completely, entirely, wholly
  2. necessarily
  3. very

Further reading

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  • blank in silling.org
  • Barbara Podgórska, Adam Podgóski (2008) “blank”, in Słownik gwar śląskich [A dictionary of Silesian lects], Katowice: Wydawnictwo KOS, →ISBN, page 39

Swedish

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Etymology

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

Adjective

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blank (comparative blankare, superlative blankast)

  1. smooth and shiny, glossy
    en blank yta
    a smooth and shiny surface
    polera ytan blank
    polish the surface smooth and shiny
    blank is / blankis
    smooth, shiny (and sometimes by implication slippery) ice
    Pokalen var skinande blank
    The trophy was smooth, clean, and super shiny / had a spotless shine ("skinande blank" (shining blank) is a common collocation)
  2. blank (without text, of something ordinarily having text)
    en blank sida
    a blank page
  3. (in some expressions) unequivocal, straight-up
    Jag säger blankt nej
    I reject it absolutely

Inflection

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Inflection of blank
Indefinite Positive Comparative Superlative2
Common singular blank blankare blankast
Neuter singular blankt blankare blankast
Plural blanka blankare blankast
Masculine plural3 blanke 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 the predicative.
3) Dated or archaic

Derived terms

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References

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