Forms: 1 ǽmetiʓ, ǽmtiʓ, émtiʓ, 3, 5 amti, -tie, 3–4 emti, empti, 4–7 emty, emptie, -ye, 4– empty. [OE. ǽmetiʓ, f. ǽmetta leisure + -iʓ, -Y.
The vowel of the middle syllable was dropped already in OE. The initial ǽ, being shortened, yielded as usual in ME. dialects the parallel forms ă and ĕ; hence the forms amti and emti; the former died out in 15th century; the latter (with the euphonic p normal between m and t) is represented by the mod. form.]
A. adj.
† 1. Of persons: At leisure, not occupied or engaged. Also, unmarried. Only in OE.
c. 897. K. Ælfred, Gregory’s Past., li. 401. Þæt hie ne wenen ðæt hie … ʓemengan mæʓen wið ða æmteʓan wifmen.
c. 1000. Ælfric, Hom. (Th.), II. 441. Martha swanc, and Maria sæt æmtiʓ.
2. Of a material receptacle: Containing nothing; opposed to full. Also fig. of anything that may be said to be ‘filled.’
971. Blickl. Hom., 5. Heo [the Virgin Mary] wæs ‘ful’ cweden næs ‘æmetuʓu.’
c. 1300. Beket, 2178. The sculle al amti was: and no brayn therinne bilevede.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Reeve’s Prol., 40. Almost al empty is þe tonne.
1514. Barclay, Cyt. & Uplondyshm. (1847), 62. With empty belly and simple poore aray.
1599. Shaks., Hen. V., IV. iv. 73. The empty vessel makes the greatest sound.
a. 1628. Preston, New Covt. (1629), 62. For nothing is said to be emptie, but when you looke for a fullnesse in it.
1673. O. Walker, Educ. (1677), 103. They bring forth yellow and emty eares, before the harvest.
1732. Pope, Ep. Bathurst, 320. Which of these is worse, Want with a full or with an empty purse?
1732. Arbuthnot, Rules of Diet, 269–70. They [diureticks] ought to be taken in an empty Stomach.
1845. Budd, Dis. Liver, 374. The gall-bladder and ducts are found empty.
1860. Tyndall, Glac., I. § 11. 80. I now filled our empty wine-bottle with snow.
b. Void of certain specified contents; fig. devoid of certain specified qualities, etc. Const. † from, † in, of.
1483. Caxton, Cato, G j. Empty of alle goodes and fylled of alle euyll.
1588. Shaks., L. L. L., V. ii. 878. And I shal find you emptie of that fault. Ibid. (1596), Merch. V., IV. i. 5. Empty From any dram of mercie. Ibid. (1600), A. Y. L., II. vii. 93. In ciuility thou seem’st so emptie.
1633. Bp. Hall, Hard Texts, 97. We … are of ourselves emptie of all good.
1704. Newton, Opticks (1721), 341–2 (J.). The Heavens are much emptier of Air than any Vacuum we can make below.
1860. Trench, Mirac., xxxi. (1862), 444. The Gentiles were empty of all fruits of righteousness.
1865. Mill, Exam. Hamilton’s Philos., 87. Metaphysical doctrines which … are empty of the smallest substance.
3. transf. † a. Having one’s purse, etc., empty; destitute of money. (Only contextual.) Obs.
1581. J. Bell, Haddon’s Answ. Osor., 15. The Apostles … should wander through the whole world emptie of all worldly furniture.
1722. De Foe, Plague (1754), 173. Those that had Money … were able to subsist themselves; but those who were empty, suffer’d … great Hardships. Ibid. (1724), Mem. Cavalier (1840), 151. The king [was] quite empty of money.
b. Having an empty stomach; hungry. Now only colloq.
1593. Shaks., 2 Hen. VI., III. i. 248. Wer’t not all one, an emptie Eagle were set, To guard the Chicken from a hungry Kyte.
1620. Shelton, Don Quix., III. xxx. 209. And where there is plenty the Guests are not empty.
1719. De Foe, Crusoe (ed. 3), II. 171. I found myself empty and my Stomach sickith.
† c. Of the body: Wanting fullness, shrunken, emaciated. Also of the pulse: Weak, ‘slender.’
c. 1374. Chaucer, Boeth., II. i. 4. Þe slak[e] skyn trembleþ vpon myn emty body.
1486. Bk. St. Albans, C j a. Sum put hawkys in mew … when they be Empty and lene.
1533. Elyot, Castel Helthe, II. (1541), 45 b. Where the body is long empty by longe syknesse or abstinence, slepe comforteth nature.
1707. Floyer, Physic. Pulse-Watch, 412. An empty Pulse shews small Strength.
4. Of space, a person’s place, etc.: Vacant, unoccupied. Of a house, etc.: Devoid of furniture or inmates. Also fig.
971. Blickl. Hom., 37. Þæt on us ne sy ʓemeted næniʓu stow æmetiʓ gastlicra mæʓena.
c. 1000. Ælfric, Gen. i. 2. Seo eorþe … wæs ydel ant æmtiʓ.
c. 1200. Trin. Coll. Hom., 87. He … cumeð þerto and fint hit emti and mid beseme clene swopen.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 156. Non empti stude iðe heorte to underuongen flesliche leihtren.
1297. R. Glouc., 17. Amty place he made a boute, & folc fleu hym faste.
c. 1385. Chaucer, L. G. W., 888. Tysbe … saw hire wympil & hise emty schede.
1514. Barclay, Cyt. & Uplondyshm. (1847), 6. One maye clerely the emty nestes se.
1593. Shaks., 2 Hen. VI., V. ii. 4. And dead mens cries do fill the emptie aire.
1611. Bible, 1 Sam. xx. 25. Dauids place was emptie.
1627. May, Lucan, II. 503 (1631), C v. With empty Standards reft of Companies.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Georg., IV. 515/138.
| Two rising Heaps of liquid Crystal stand, | |
| And leave a Space betwixt, of empty Sand. |
1709. Steele, Tatler, No. 182, ¶ 1. The Town grows so very empty.
1864. Skeat, trans. Uhland’s Poems, 273. Vanished was my love for ever, Every room seemed empty now.
b. quasi-sb. A void (space).
1535. Coverdale, Job xxvi. 7. He stretcheth out ye north ouer the emptie.
5. Without anything to carry.
a. Of a carriage, ship, etc. (= sense 2). Hence transf. of a beast of burden: Without a load (rare in mod. use).
c. 1330. King of Tars, 201. And sadeles mony emptye.
1502. Arnolde, Chron. (1811), 197. Item an emty horse only i. d’.
1586. Marlowe, 1st Pt. Tamburl., I. ii. Return our mules and empty camels back.
1607. Topsell, Four-f. Beasts (1658), 244. When you have used him [the horse] to leap empty, likewise accustome him loaded.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Georg., III. 271/104.
| Perswade ’em first to lead an empty Wheel, | |
| That scarce the dust can raise; or they can feel. |
1714. Fr. Bk. of Rates, 412. Vessels … empty, or loaded with Masts, Planks, and other Timber.
1796. Log, in Nicolas, Disp. Nelson, VII. p. lxv. A Ship and a Brig from Finale … proving … empty.
1884. Sir W. McMurdo, in Pall Mall Gaz., 18 June, 2/1. FitzGerald … started with the empty camels in a bee-line across the desert.
b. Of the hand: Not bringing or carrying any thing away. Hence of persons: = EMPTY-HANDED; chiefly as predicative complement, e.g., To go, come away empty.
c. 1500. New Notbr. Mayd, in Anc. Poet. Tracts, 45. The poure may stande, With empty hande.
1535. Coverdale, Ruth iii. 17. Thou shalt not come emptye vnto thy mother in lawe.
1607. Shaks., Timon, III. vi. 40. I return’d you an empty Messenger.
1727. A. Hamilton, New Acc. E. Ind., I. xi. 119. The Custom, not to appear before great Men with an empty Hand.
fig. 1751. Jortin, Serm. (1771), VI. 198. The prayers of the Penitent return not empty.
1850. Tennyson, In Mem., III. iii. A hollow form with empty hands.
c. As a Biblical Hebraism, of a sword, To return empty.
1611. Bible, 2 Sam. i. 22. The sword of Saul returned not emptie.
1677. W. Hubbard, Narrative, 98. Them [sixty of the Enemy] they slew and took, so as their Sword returned not empty.
6. a. Of persons, their projects, etc.: Lacking knowledge and sense; frivolous, foolish.
1611. Bible, Pref., 8. This was iudged to be but a very poore and emptie shift.
1664. Power, Exp. Philos., Pref. 18. Our best Philosophers will but prove empty Conjecturalists.
a. 1674. Clarendon, Hist. Reb. (1704), III. XIII. 307. A very empty and unprepared design.
1696. Tate & Brady, Ps. cxliv. 4. His Thoughts but empty are and vain.
1707–8. Lett., in Hearne’s Coll., II. 91. A silly, empty pretender to Greek.
1711. Steele, Spect., No. 75, ¶ 6. The empty Coxcomb has no Regard to any thing … Sacred.
1727. De Foe, Syst. Magic, I. iv. (1840), 98. The meanest, emptiest, and most inconsistent project.
b. Of things: Wanting solidity and substance; unsatisfactory, vain, meaningless.
1340. Ayenb., 143. Zuo emti to þe ziȝþe of þo greate blisse.
1603. Shaks., Meas. for M., II. iv. 2. Heauen hath my empty words.
1667. Milton, P. L., III. 454. Find Fit retribution, emptie as thir deeds.
1674. Brevint, Saul at Endor, 230. It is but an emty Phantome, which hath neither flesh nor bones, that you can hold.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Georg., IV. 710/144.
| Straight all his Hopes exhal’d in empty Smoke; | |
| And his long Toils went forfeit for a Look. |
1711. Steele, Spect., No. 79, ¶ 9. All these Acts are but empty Shows.
1718. Freethinker, No. 60. 34. It is not an empty Title … but a Right.
1728. Pope, Dunc., I. 54. Weighs … solid pudding against empty praise.
a. 1764. Lloyd, Whim, Poet. Wks. 1774, II. 166.
| Let wrangling wits abuse, defame, | |
| And quarrel for an empty name. |
1813. Shelley, Q. Mab, iv. Words … Empty and vain as his own coreless heart.
1837. Thirlwall, Greece, IV. xxxii. 229. Nor were these mere empty professions.
1884. Sat. Rev., 14 June, 766/1. Frightened by the emptiest of bugbears.
B. sb. Comm. An empty truck or wagon; an empty box, cask, etc., which has contained goods.
1865. Morn. Star, 1 Feb. I was ordered … to … send the empties off first.
1881. Daily News, 22 Aug., 3/2. George Whitehead, a dealer in empties at Mile-end New-town.
1884. E. Ingersoll, in Harper’s Mag., May, 874/2. They are … made into a long train in exchange for ‘empties.’
C. Comb. (parasynthetic adjs.), as empty-basketed, -bellied, -fisted, -headed, -hearted, -pannelled (in Falconry), -pated, -skulled, -stomached, -vaulted; also EMPTY-HANDED.
1883. G. H. Boughton, in Harper’s Mag., April, 702/2. Fisher-people, going laden, and coming back *empty-basketed from the city.
1836–48. B. D. Walsh, Aristoph., Knights, I. iii. You’ve cut *Empty-bellied to the Town-hall.
1664. H. More, Myst. Iniq., xv. 52. A superstitious fear of the Saints displeasure, if they approach *empty-fisted.
1650. B., Discolliminium, 17. *Empty-headed, Fiddle-brain’d Men.
1873. Symonds, Grk. Poets, iii. 86. Trample on the empty-headed rabble.
1605. Shaks., Lear, I. i. 155. Nor are those *empty-hearted, whose low sounds Reuerbe no hollownesse.
1842. Manning, Serm., viii. (1848), I. 109. Empty-hearted followers of this vain-glorious world.
1575. Turberv., Falconrie, 313. Let hir stande *emptiepanneld upon the same untill night.
1820. Scott, Abbot, xxxiii. There are *empty-pated coxcombs at each corner.
1863. Cowden Clarke, Shaks. Char., vi. 159. Quackery may, and does succeed for a season … with the *empty-skulled.
1527. Andrew, Brunswyke’s Distyll. Waters, A ij. Them that be *empty-stomaked thrughe overmoche hete of the stomake.
1861. Du Chaillu, Equat. Afr., vi. 58. The only empty-stomached individual of the company.
1634. Milton, Comus, 249. They float … through the *empty-vaulted night.
