Forms: 6–7 blanc, blanke, blanck(e, 7– blank. [f. prec. The senses consist of a number of absolute or elliptical uses of the adj., not mutually connected (The arrangement here is chiefly chronological.)]
† 1. A small French coin, originally of silver, but afterwards of copper; also a silver coin of Henry V. current in the parts of France then held by the English. According to Littré, the French blanc was worth 5 deniers. The application of the name in the 17th c. is uncertain. Obs.
a. 1399. Arnold, Chron. (1811), 14. Yeldyng therof by yere CCC li. of sterlynge of blankis.
1480. Caxton, Chron. Eng., ccxliv. 298. The frensshmen playde owre kyng and his lordes at the dise and an archer alwey for a blank of hir money. For they wenden al had ben heres.
1523. Ld. Berners, Froiss., I. ccccxli. 776. Whosoeuer brought a fagot before the kynges tent, he shulde haue a blanke of Fraunce.
1577. Hellowes, Gueuara’s Chron., 204. He did rather leaue his woode vnsolde, then abate one blanke of his price.
1629. S’hertogenbosh, 45. Candles 12 stiuers a pound, an Egge two blancks.
1670. Blount, Law Dict., Blancks, a kinde of Money, coyned by King Henry the Fifth, in the parts of France, which were then subject to England, the value whereof was 8d.… The reason why they were called Blanks, was because … this of Silver, was in name distinguished by the colour.
1753. Chambers, Cycl. Supp., Blank also denotes a small copper coin, formerly current in France, at the rate of five deniers Tournois.
1864. [H. W. Wheelwright], Spring Lapl., 81. A specie dollar, or ‘blank,’ as they call it here, will rouse the apathy and greed of a Lap when paper currency will have no effect.
2. The white spot in the center of a target; hence fig. anything aimed at, the range of such aim.
1554. Interl. Youth, in Hazl., Dodsl., II. 35. Pink and drink, and also at the blank, And many sports mo.
1598. Barret, Theor. Warres, III. i. 35. To cause them to leuell, and discharge at the blancke thereof.
1837. Cdl. Wiseman, Fun. Orat. Cdl. Weld, 23. Rome, the very blank and aim of religious partizanship in our country.
Cf. the following with b, as illustrating its origin:
1602. Shaks., Ham., IV. i. 42 (Globe). As level as the cannon to his blank Transports his poisoned shot. Ibid. (1604), Oth., III. iv. 128. I haue stood within the blanke of his displeasure.
b. ‘Level line mark for cannon, as point-blank, equal to 800 yards.’ Smyth, Sailor’s Wrd.-bk.
1747. Gentl. Mag., XVII. 398. Fired at the Bellona, which Capt. Barrington … did not return (being but just within blank).
† 3. A nonplus. Obs.
1542. Udall, Erasm. Apoph., 61 a. Aristippus was nothyng greued to take a blanke in disputacion.
1548. Udall, etc., Erasm. Par. Acts vi. 10. The inwarde griefe … whiche thei had conceiued for the blancke they wer put unto.
1580. Lyly, Euphues (Arb.), 362. Such a place, as turned them all to a blanke.
4. A lottery ticket that does not gain a prize.
1567. in Kempe, Loseley MSS. (1835), 188. A verie rich Lotterie … without any blancks.
1607. Shaks., Cor., V. ii. 10. It is Lots to Blankes, My name hath touch’t your eares.
1779. J. Moore, View Soc., II. xcv. 426. All the tickets he had in the lottery had proved blanks.
1824. W. Irving, T. Trav., I. 4. When one has drawn a blank.
5. A blank space in a written or printed document.
c. 1570. Leg. Bp. St. Andrews, in Scot. Poems 16th. C., II. 343. I sall leive blankis for to imbrew thame.
1632. Star Chamb. Cases (1886), 119. Warrantes … with blankes for names of plaintiff and defendant.
c. 1677. Marvell, Growth Popery, Wks. I. 555. Which blanck … shall be filled up with the Christian name of such King or Queen.
1736. Swift, Lett to Pope, Wks. 1751, VII. 275 (J.). 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.
a. 1859. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., V. 138. Full powers must be sent … with blanks left for the names of the plenipotentiaries.
b. Provisional words printed in italics (instead of blank spaces) in a bill before Parliament, being matters of practical detail, of which the final form will be settled in Committee.
1817. Parl. Debates, 583/2. The blanks of the bill were then filled up in the committee.
1863. H. Cox, Instit., I. ix. 167. In going through the bill [in committee], words printed in italics, commonly called ‘blanks,’ stand, unless objected to.
6. A document, ‘paper,’ or ‘form’ with spaces left blank to be filled up at the pleasure of the person to whom it is given (e.g., a blank charter), or as the event may determine; a blank form.
1586. T. B., La Primaud. Fr. Acad., 708. The citie of Athens … was constrained to sende a blanke for capitulations of peace.
1593. Shaks., Rich. II., II. i. 250. And daily new exactions are deuis’d, As blankes, beneuolences, and I wot not what.
1611. Beaum. & Fl., Maid’s Trag., V. iii. Throw him the blank. Melantius, write in that Thy choice.
1711. in Lond. Gaz., No. 4817/7. The several Blanks … are printed … at the Crown and Scepter.
1780. J. Reed, in Sparks, Corr. Amer. Rev. (1853), III. 23. We have furnished the Commissioners with blanks of various kinds of returns, and directed them to send us a weekly account.
b. An empty form without substance; anything insignificant; nothing at all.
1678. Dryden, All for Love, I. i. Dram. Wks. 1717, IV. 200 (J.).
| She has left him | |
| The Blank of what he was. |
1704. Penn, in Pa. Hist. Soc. Mem., IX. 308. People might have thought … I was gone with him a blank, he being called governor.
1742. Young, Nt. Th., II. 80. No blank, no trifle, nature made, or meant.
1818. Scott, Hrt. Midl., i. His debts amount to blank—his losses to blank—his funds to blank—leaving a balance of blank in his favour.
7. fig. A vacant space, place or period; a void.
1601. Shaks., Twel. N., II. iv. 113. Duke. And what’s her history? Vio. A blanke, my lord.
1667. Milton, P. L., III. 48. For the Book of knowledg fair Presented with a Universal blanc Or Natures works to mee expung’d and ras’d.
1759. Franklin, Ess., Wks. 1840, III. 525. The remainder of that day … was wasted…. The next was a blank likewise.
1793. Ld. Spencer, in Ld. Auckland’s Corr. (1862), III. 124. The interval till then will be a complete blank in my life.
c. 1815. J. Hislop, Scott, Sacr. Sabb., vii. The blanks in family circles fill’d again.
1876. Mozley, Univ. Serm., vi. 142. The future is a blank, or a dark enigma to them.
8. Blank verse; cf. BLANK a. 8.
1589. Greene, Menaph., Wks. 1881–3, VI. 27. Lest … they bewaile in weeping blankes the wane of their Monarchie.
1627. Feltham, Resolves, I. lxx. Wks. (1677), 108. I hold it better put in Prose, or Blanks.
1793. Southey, Nondescr., i. Wks. III. 58. In Miltonic blank bemouth’d.
1809. Byron, Bards & Rev., ix. Rhyme and blank maintain an equal race.
9. Mech. A piece of metal, cut and shaped to the required size of the thing to be made, and ready for the finishing operations; esp. in Coinage, the disc of metal before stamping.
1596. T. Burel, Entry Q. Edinb. Braid blancis hang above thair eis, With jewels of all histories.
c. 1695. in Ruding, Ann. Coinage (ed. 2), III. 423. The Blanks for Farthings cast.
1753. Chambers, Cycl. Supp., Blank, in coinage, a plate, or piece of gold, or silver, cut and shaped for a coin, but not yet stamped.
1831. J. Holland, Manuf. Metals, I. 201. The blanks for wood screws are generally forged by the nailors.
1881. Greener, Gun, 296. The blank [for a cartridge case] is … forced by a descending plug through a tapering aperture.
10. The 1/230400 of a grain.
1680. Morden, Geog. Rect. (1685), 279. The Monyers Divide the Perit into 24 Blanks.
1725. Bradley, Fam. Dict., II. s.v. Weights, The Moneyers subdivide the grain thus: 24 Blanks make 1 Perrot; 20 Perrots 1 Dwit; 24 Dwits 1 Mite; 20 Mites 1 grain.
11. In the game of dominoes: A piece that is without points on one or both of its divisions.
12. A dash written in place of an omitted letter or word. Thus, — — Esq. of — Hall, read Blank Blank Esquire of Blank Hall. Cf. DASH.
