Empty
Pronunciation:
\ˈem(p)-tē\
Function:
adjective
Inflected Form(s):
emp·ti·er; emp·ti·est
Etymology:
Middle English, from Old English ǣmettig unoccupied, from ǣmetta leisure, perhaps from ǣ- without + -metta (probably akin to mōtan to have to) more at must
Date:
before 12th century
1. containing nothing; having none of the usual or appropriate contents: an empty bottle.
2. vacant; unoccupied: an empty house.
3. without cargo or load: an empty wagon.
4. destitute of people or human activity: We walked along the empty streets of the city at night.
5. destitute of some quality or qualities; devoid (usually fol. by of): Theirs is a life now empty of happiness.
6. without force, effect, or significance; hollow; meaningless: empty compliments; empty pleasures.
7. not employed in useful activity or work; idle: empty summer days.
8. Mathematics. (of a set) containing no elements; null; void.
9. hungry: I'm feeling rather emptylet's have lunch.
10. without knowledge or sense; frivolous; foolish: an empty head.
11. completely spent of emotion: The experience had left her with an empty heart.
synonyms empty, vacant, blank, void, vacuous mean lacking contents which could or should be present. empty suggests a complete absence of contents <an empty bucket>. vacant suggests an absence of appropriate contents or occupants . blank stresses the absence of any significant, relieving, or intelligible features on a surface . void suggests absolute emptiness as far as the mind or senses can determine . vacuous suggests the emptiness of a vacuum and especially the lack of intelligence or significance .
synonyms see in addition vain