Word: blank Part of Speech: noun 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”), Spanish blanco. More at blink, blind, blanch. Doublet of blanc. Pronunciation: /ˈblæŋk/, [ˈblæŋk], /ˈbleɪ̯ŋk/, [ˈbleɪ̯ŋk], /ˈblɛ̃ŋk/ 1. 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. Labels: archaic, historical, obsolete Example: Whosoeuer brought a fagot before the kynges tent, he shulde haue a blanke of Fraunce. 2. A nonplus. Labels: obsolete 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. Example: Des. […] And stood within the blank of his displeasure / For my free speech! (Act III, scene 11) Example: Kent. See better, Lear, and let me still remain / The true blank of thine eye. (Act I, scene 2) 4. A lot by which nothing is gained; a ticket in a lottery on which no prize is indicated. Example: […] and in Fortune's Lottery lies / A heap of Blanks, like this, for one ſmall Prize. 5. An empty space; a void, for example on a paper. Example: Write your answers in the blanks. 6. An empty space; a void, for example on a paper. 7. 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. Labels: US Example: […] and the freemen signified their approbation by an inscribed vote, and their dissent by a blank. 8. 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. Labels: US 9. 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. Labels: US 10. Blank verse. 11. 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. 12. 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. 13. A vacant space, place, or period; a void. Labels: figuratively Example: Du. And what's her hiſtory? Vio. A blanke my Lord: 14. The ¹ / ₂₃₀₄₀₀ of a grain. 15. An empty space in one's memory; a forgotten item or memory. Example: 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. Example: From this time there ensues a long blank in the history of French legislation. 16. A dash written in place of an omitted letter or word. 17. The space character; the character resulting from pressing the space bar on a keyboard. 18. A domino without points on one or both of its divisions. Example: the double blank Example: the six blank 19. A tile that can be played as any letter and having a point value of zero. 20. Ellipsis of blank cartridge. Labels: abbreviation, alt-of, ellipsis Example: It was an unloaded gun that fired only blanks. 21. An ineffective effort which achieves nothing. Labels: figuratively 22. An ineffective effort which achieves nothing. Labels: figuratively, slang 23. Used as a substitute for a profanity. Example: The Beatles have fabulous music, a tough sound! Who gives a blank if they can read music!