blank
     adj 1: of a surface; not written or printed on; "blank pages";
            "fill in the blank spaces"; "a clean page"; "wide
            white margins" [syn: clean, white]
     2: void of expression; "a blank stare"
     3: not charged with a bullet; "a blank cartridge"
     n 1: a blank character used to separate successive words in
          writing or printing; "he said the space is the most
          important character in the alphabet" [syn: space]
     2: a substitute for a taboo word; "I hit the blank blank car"
     3: a blank gap or missing part [syn: lacuna]
     4: a piece of material ready to be made into something
     5: a cartridge containing an explosive charge but no bullet
        [syn: dummy, blank shell]
     v : keep the opposing (baseball) team from winning

Blank \Blank\, n.
   1. Any void space; a void space on paper, or in any written
      instrument; an interval void of consciousness, action,
      result, etc; a void.

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

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

            I was ill. I can't tell how long -- it was a blank.
                                                  --G. Eliot.

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

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

   3. A paper unwritten; a paper without marks or characters a
      blank ballot; -- especially, a paper on which are to be
      inserted designated items of information, for which spaces
      are left vacant; a bland form.

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

   4. A paper containing the substance of a legal instrument, as
      a deed, release, writ, or execution, with spaces left to
      be filled with names, date, descriptions, etc.

   5. The point aimed at in a target, marked with a white spot;
      hence, the object to which anything is directed.

            Let me still remain The true blank of thine eye.
                                                  --Shak.

   6. Aim; shot; range. [Obs.]

            I have stood . . . within the blank of his
            displeasure For my free speech.       --Shak.

   7. A kind of base silver money, first coined in England by
      Henry V., and worth about 8 pence; also, a French coin of
      the seventeenth century, worth about 4 pence. --Nares.

   8. (Mech.) A piece of metal prepared to be made into
      something by a further operation, as a coin, screw, nuts.

   9. (Dominoes) A piece or division of a piece, without spots;
      as, the ``double blank''; the ``six blank.''

   In blank, with an essential portion to be supplied by
      another; as, to make out a check in blank.

Blank \Blank\, a. [OE. blank, blonc, blaunc, blaunche, fr. F.
   blanc, fem. blanche, fr. OHG. blanch shining, bright, white,
   G. blank; akin to E. blink, cf. also AS. blanc white. ?98.
   See Blink, and cf. 1st Blanch.]
   1. Of a white or pale color; without color.

            To the blank moon Her office they prescribed.
                                                  --Milton.

   2. Free from writing, printing, or marks; having an empty
      space to be filled in with some special writing; -- said
      of checks, official documents, etc.; as, blank paper; a
      blank check; a blank ballot.

   3. Utterly confounded or discomfited.

            Adam . . . astonied stood, and blank. --Milton.

   4. Empty; void; without result; fruitless; as, a blank space;
      a blank day.

   5. Lacking characteristics which give variety; as, a blank
      desert; a blank wall; destitute of interests, affections,
      hopes, etc.; as, to live a blank existence; destitute of
      sensations; as, blank unconsciousness.

   6. Lacking animation and intelligence, or their associated
      characteristics, as expression of face, look, etc.;
      expressionless; vacant. ``Blank and horror-stricken
      faces.'' --C. Kingsley.

            The blank . . . glance of a half returned
            consciousness.                        --G. Eliot.

   7. Absolute; downright; unmixed; as, blank terror.

   Blank bar (Law), a plea put in to oblige the plaintiff in
      an action of trespass to assign the certain place where
      the trespass was committed; -- called also common bar.


   Blank cartridge, a cartridge containing no ball.

   Blank deed. See Deed.

   Blank door, or Blank window (Arch.), a depression in a
      wall of the size of a door or window, either for
      symmetrical effect, or for the more convenient insertion
      of a door or window at a future time, should it be needed.


   Blank indorsement (Law), an indorsement which omits the
      name of the person in whose favor it is made; it is
      usually made by simply writing the name of the indorser on
      the back of the bill.

   Blank line (Print.), a vacant space of the breadth of a
      line, on a printed page; a line of quadrats.

   Blank tire (Mech.), a tire without a flange.

   Blank tooling. See Blind tooling, under Blind.

   Blank verse. See under Verse.

   Blank wall, a wall in which there is no opening; a dead
      wall.

Blank \Blank\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Blanked; p. pr. & vb. n.
   Blanking.] [Cf. 3d Blanch.]
   1. To make void; to annul. [Obs.] --Spenser.

   2. To blanch; to make blank; to damp the spirits of; to
      dispirit or confuse. [Obs.]

            Each opposite that blanks the face of joy. --Shak.

BLANK-:VERSE:, n.  Unrhymed iambic pentameters -- the most difficult
kind of English verse to write acceptably; a kind, therefore, much
affected by those who cannot acceptably write any kind.