empty1 adjectiveempty2 verb
emptyemp‧ty1 /ˈempti/ ●●● S2 W2 adjective (comparative emptier, superlative emptiest) 
WORD ORIGINempty1
Origin:
Old English æmettigEXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- After the divorce, he felt alone and empty.
- an empty canvas with a few red blobs in the centre
- Could you pick up the empty beer cans over there?
- Half the classroom was empty.
- He stared at the empty page. The test was nearly over, and he hadn't managed to answer any of the questions.
- I hate coming home to an empty house late at night.
- I noticed her glass was empty, and offered her some more wine.
- I think there's an empty seat in the back row.
- I was surprised that the train was half empty at that time of day.
- Is this seat empty?
- It was 2 o'clock in the morning and the streets were completely empty.
- My footsteps echoed across the empty room.
- Police say the shot was fired from an empty office building across the street.
- The house was empty for two months before it was sold.
- There was nothing at all in the room except an empty cupboard.
- There were two empty beer bottles on the table.
- They have three empty rooms now that the kids have moved out.
- We've only got one bottle of milk left, and that's half empty.
- We were a little worried to find that half the seats in the theatre were empty.
- And his pictures were rather empty.
- As we did, I looked out in the bleachers, which were totally empty.
- Despite a huge investment, they have come up empty.
- He sipped his cocoa and placed the empty cup on his plate.
- Large areas of the room were simply empty.
- The small company of members looked completely dwarfed in the vast, cavernous space of the almost empty concert hall.
- Then I walked across empty fields for some hours until I reached a village.
- They were young children under a sky that was empty of electromagnetic waves.
THESAURUSwith nothing in it or on it
used about something that has nothing inside: · an empty can of hair spray· The fridge is almost empty.
used about a computer screen or a piece of paper that has no writing or pictures on it, or a CD, DVD etc with nothing recorded on it: · a blank sheet of paper· He stared at the blank screen for a few minutes.· a blank tape
used about a room or cupboard that has very little in it: · His room was bare except for a bed and a wardrobe.
used about something that has an empty space inside: · a hollow tree· The suitcase had a hollow bottom.
with no people used about a place that has no one in it or no one using it: · There were no lights on and the house looked empty.· the empty streets
used about a seat, space, or room that is available to use because no one else is using it: · Is this seat free?· There are never any parking spaces free at this time of day.
used about a room or building that is available for people to pay to use: · a vacant apartment· The next guesthouse we tried had a couple of rooms vacant.
used about a place that is quiet because there is no one there, or because the people who used to be there have left: · a deserted village· It was three o'clock in the morning and the streets were deserted.
used about a place that has no people living in it, especially permanently: · an uninhabited island
especially written used about a house, room, or office that no one is living in or using at the moment: · unoccupied buildings· Burglaries frequently happen when people are on holiday and their house is unoccupied.
Longman Language Activatorcontainer/bottle/glass a container, bottle, or glass that is empty has nothing inside it: · There were two empty beer bottles on the table.· I noticed her glass was empty, and offered her some more wine.· There was nothing at all in the room except an empty cupboard.half empty (=used to say that half of the contents of a packet. bottle etc have been used ): · We've only got one bottle of milk left, and that's half empty.
informal empty containers, especially empty bottles: · The bartender picked up the crate of empties and took it down to the cellar.· You can get some money back if you return the empties to the shop.
use this to say that a container is empty: · I looked in her bag, but there was nothing in it.
building/room/seat a building, room, or seat that is empty has nothing or no-one in it: · My footsteps echoed across the empty room.· We were a little worried to find that half the seats in the theatre were empty.· Police say the shot was fired from an empty office building across the street.half empty (=used to say that a room, building etc has not got many people in it): · I was surprised that the train was half empty at that time of day.
a seat, space, or room that is free is not being used and is available for people to use: · Is this seat free?· There are never any parking spaces free at this time of day.· The meeting room won't be free until at least 3.30, I'm afraid.
a building, room, or seat that is vacant is not being used and is available for people to use: · The police had set up a temporary station in a vacant apartment across the street.· The next guesthouse we tried had a couple of rooms vacant.· Brunton went into the bar, but he couldn't spot a single vacant seat.
a room or building that is bare has very little furniture or other things in it: · The room was completely bare except for a bed against the wall.· We spent a long time walking through the bare rooms, remembering the games we used to play there.
especially written an unoccupied house, room, office etc is not being lived in or used: · Many of the old houses that back onto the railway are now unoccupied.· It's a scandal that there are so many unoccupied buildings in this city, and so many homeless people.
place/area of land a place that is empty has no-one in it: · It was 2 o'clock in the morning and the streets were completely empty.
a place that is deserted is empty and quiet because there is no one there, or the people who are usually there have left: · The beach was deserted and unsafe for bathing according to the guidebook.· We passed through several deserted villages whose inhabitants had fled.
an area or place that is uninhabited has no people living in it: · Most of the islands in Clear Bay are uninhabited.· Access to this remote uninhabited Himalayan mountain is via high snow-covered passes.
an area that is desolate is empty and sad-looking, because there are no people there, no trees or plants growing, and nothing attractive to see: · We looked out over a desolate landscape of bare trees and stony fields.· The little mining town was desolate and ugly.· the desolate terrain of the moon
a town that is empty because all the people have left: become/turn into a ghost town: · Since the closing of the coal mines the place has become a ghost town.· By March the population had been evacuated, and Verdun had become a ghost town.
an area of land, especially in a city, that is empty, ugly, and unused: · The area down by the docks is just a wasteland.· Detectives discovered the man's body dumped on wasteland near the railway.
paper/tape/screen a blank screen, tape, or piece of paper has nothing written or recorded on it: · Ian stared at the blank sheet of paper in front of him.· I want to record the late-night movie. Do we have any blank video cassettes?
a place that has been left empty in a piece of writing, especially so that you can write something in it: · There's a space for you to sign your name.· Write your address in the space provided.empty space: · The students were told to fill in the empty spaces with suitable adjectives.
a page or piece of paper that is empty has nothing written or drawn on it: · He stared at the empty page. The test was nearly over, and he hadn't managed to answer any of the questions.· an empty canvas with a few red blobs in the centre
to make something empty to make something empty by removing what was in it: · The garbage cans are emptied once a week.empty your pockets: · The police made us stand against the wall and told us to empty our pockets.empty your glass (=drink everything that is in it): · "See you," he called, emptying his glass and making for the door.
to remove all the liquid from a large container or a machine: · The police even drained the lake in their search for the body.drain off something/drain something off: · To remove algae from your aquarium, drain off the water and wash the tank thoroughly.
to empty a room, cupboard, house etc, especially because you no longer want the things that are in it: clear out something: · I found a pile of her old letters while I was clearing out my desk.clear something out: · We have to clear the garage out this weekend.
British to empty a cupboard, a drawer, pockets etc, especially when you are looking for something: turn out something/turn something out: · The headteacher told them to turn out their pockets.· The thieves had turned out the drawer, scattering the contents on the floor.
to make everyone leave a place to empty a place by asking the people in it to leave: · Police cleared the building and carried out a controlled explosion.· The area around the palace had been cleared for the parade.
if the police or the authorities evacuate a place, they order everyone in it to leave, especially because it may be dangerous: · A five-block area had to be evacuated following the discovery of 500 pounds of dynamite in a house.· Terra, 60 miles southwest of Salt Lake City, was evacuated as the fires threatened to spread.
a room or place becomes empty to become empty because all the people leave: · On Saturday night, most of the clubs empty at around 3 am.· By the autumn, the hotels along the sea front were emptying, and the town became quiet again.· When we reached Dortmund the carriage emptied, and I was left alone.
available for someone to have or use if something is available , you can get it, buy it, or use it: · There's no room for more books - we've used up all the available space.available to: · Grants are available to students who have high grades.available from: · The publication is available from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.available at/in: · Tickets are available at all Ticketmaster locations.have something available: · Do you have a room available for this weekend?readily/freely available (=very easy to get): · Drugs like heroin are readily available on the streets.make something available: · These statistics are never sold or made available to the public.
a room or seat that is free is not being used by anyone now, and no one has asked for it to be kept for them to use later: · Is this chair free?· The only free seats on the train were in a smoking compartment.have something free: · The hotel never has any rooms free over the Christmas period.
something that is spare is not being used now, but it can be used if someone needs it: · I need 50 cents for the parking meter - do you have any spare change?· We're using the spare bedroom as a storage space.· a spare tyre
something such as a room or seat that is empty has no one using it at the moment and is therefore available for someone else to use: · They have three empty rooms now that the kids have moved out.· I think there's an empty seat in the back row.· The house was empty for two months before it was sold.
a building, home, room, or office that is vacant is available because it is not owned or rented by anyone: · There don't seem to be any vacant rooms in the whole of London!· If you're looking for somewhere to rent, I think there's a vacant apartment in my building.· Of the buildings the company owns, only 3% are vacant.
something that is to be had or to be found is available to anyone who knows where to get it from: · When no work was to be had, he borrowed money from friends.· We looked all over, but there were no fast food restaurants to be found.· She knew of a place where designer clothes were to be had at bargain prices.
British informal if something is going , it is available for anyone who wants it: · Is there any more wine going?· There aren't many jobs going in this part of the country.
if something is at your disposal , someone has provided it for you to use whenever you want or in any way that you want: · We have ample money at our disposal to do this job right.· A limousine and driver were put at her disposal for the entire week.
informal if something that you like or enjoy is on tap , it is available to you all the time so that you can have it whenever you want it: · It's a great place for a rest: food, music, alcohol - everything's on tap.· Some three hundred free outdoor shows are on tap during the weekend festival.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY
an empty space behind the desk The hall was half-empty. The building stood empty for several years. The divorce left him feeling empty and bitter.COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES I spent all morning looking for a suitable present, but came home empty-handed. a half-empty wine bottle I wish you’d stop leaving the door open. The book lay open on the table.
an empty space behind the desk The hall was half-empty. The building stood empty for several years. The divorce left him feeling empty and bitter.· I've emptied my bags and I still can't find it.
(=with no one on it)· We took a boat to a deserted beach.
(=a false statement that something is good or possible) ‘Making knowledge work’ is the university’s phrase, and it is no idle boast (=not a boast, but true).
‘Making knowledge work’ is the university’s phrase, and it is no idle boast (=not a boast, but true). (=get rid of solid waste from your body)
(=that do not contain anything good for your body)· Sugary drinks are full of empty calories.
(=with no one using it)· She came and sat in an empty chair beside me.
· A girl was clearing away the empty cups.
(=drink all the coffee, tea etc in it)· He lifted his cup of coffee and drained it.
(=with no buildings or people in it)· Outside the city there was nothing but empty desert.
(=that no one is using)· There are one or two empty desks in the office.
I spent all morning looking for a suitable present, but came home empty-handed. (=something you do that does not achieve anything important)· The president's attempt at negotiation was an empty gesture which failed to satisfy his critics.
a half-empty wine bottle I wish you’d stop leaving the door open. The book lay open on the table. (=take everything out of your pockets in order to find something)· His mother made him turn out his pockets.
(=one that will not be kept)· I didn’t make any false promises.
· Patrick spotted an empty seat near the back.
(=a slogan that promises something which is not actually done)· We want real progress, not just empty slogans.
· Another day we returned to find an empty space where the TV should have been.
(=not being used) scores of derelict houses standing empty I’m not too thrilled with the way things stand (=the state that the situation is in) at the moment. The evidence, as it stands (=as it is now), cannot be conclusive.
scores of derelict houses standing empty I’m not too thrilled with the way things stand (=the state that the situation is in) at the moment. The evidence, as it stands (=as it is now), cannot be conclusive. (=with no food in)· It was 11 o'clock, and my stomach was empty.
(=with no people)· As he walked home, the street was deserted.
(=one that is not sincere)· She was not a woman to make idle threats.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADVERB· The medical staff dining room was almost empty, and the last group of people were just leaving.· Hey, B4., your glass is almost empty.· The hotel was almost empty and all the young men had been drafted into the army.· It was Monday night, and the restaurant was dark and almost empty, except for four men at a table.· Mary waggled an almost empty glass at them.· It was almost empty, there was nobody around to check with and they duly boarded.· The classroom was almost empty, save for a cluster of little girls who sat at one table rolling and pummeling clay.
· The heat of the day had been replaced by searing cold and the bus was nearly empty.· It was early, and the place was nearly empty.· The barrel was nearly empty and I had to climb right inside to get my apple.· The room was cold, quiet and nearly empty.· Copacabana's tourist hotels are nearly empty.· He shook out a handful of painkillers - the box was nearly empty.· The restaurant was nearly empty now.· But in Kemerovo, where he lives with his wife and three children, the shops are nearly empty.
NOUN· Between them girders and gantries of black iron ran like gigantic roadways spanning gulfs of empty air.· The empty air was still vibrating slightly with the suppressed fidgets of children.· He was suddenly free, thrusting at empty air.· She felt weightless as they pitched into empty air.· CI5's fingers had closed on empty air.· It gave a last deep cry, its teeth closed on the empty air, and it fell to the ground.· John spun on his heel and ran back to the banister, his fist closing on empty air behind the moving figure.
· D'Arcy saw the two wine goblets on the table; the empty bottle of Haut-Brion.· I loved to pick through trash piles and collect empty bottles, tin cans with Pretty labels, and discarded magazines.· He took the empty bottle and went into the school garden.· The almost empty bottle of Scotch was in keeping with Moore, and so was one glass.· So now the movie houses are taking empty bottles as payment, turning them back in to the bottlers for cash.· In front of each team at a distance of about two yards, place a mirror, a spoon an empty bottle or jar.· They put it into an empty bottle of 7-Up, where it was visible from the bed, like a lamp.
· Sometimes children must wait for an empty chair at the milk table before they can sit down.· There was a big table and an empty chair beside her.· As he gazed now at the empty chair, he knew there was no time for doubt.· Seeing an empty chair one day, she walked over and sat down amid bewildered stares from the hot-stove regulars.· Xanthe ambled in in a tousled yawning state and yesterday's clothes and flopped into the empty chair beside Filmer.· The groups obediently broke up as the women scattered to find empty chairs.· He removed his straw hat and placed it on the empty chair beside him.· I drop my stuff on an empty chair and slide into the water before the old man can catch up.
· John took the empty cups down below and placed them quietly in the small sink.· Two of the remaining empty cups should be placed on each sheet of paper.· Under the chair, between his legs, were his helmet and an empty cup and saucer.· She placed her empty cup on the table and rose to her feet.· The tramp tossed the empty cup away and shuffled off in the other direction.· My only props were an empty cup and saucer, a telephone and a lifetime of past experience.· I tucked her in and took the empty cup to the kitchen.· He sipped his cocoa and placed the empty cup on his plate.
· Mary waggled an almost empty glass at them.· Impatiently he signaled for another drink, scooping the air over his empty glass.· William took her empty glass and put it with his on the bedside table.· Heather flung her empty glass at the wall.· It started in Fat Harry's, long after the nominal closing time, across a table littered with empty glasses.· Pressed against the radiator, he eyed a man banging his forehead against the rim of his empty glass.· Their empty glasses were still on the coffee-table, reminding her of the night before.· As he did, Jack tossed his drink at Billy and lunged at his face with the empty glass.
· He spread his empty hands to show her he meant no harm.· No less afraid and angry were the other nations of the world, following the drama with open eyes and empty hands.· I came into it naked and with empty hands.· He showed his empty hands, made a move, and displayed a pair of glass earrings.· In horrified disbelief he stared at his empty hand.· To harmonise mind and body, this is the true essence of karate-do: the empty hand way.
· Rents were again strictly controlled, and empty houses were requisitioned.· Further, he received nourishment at the empty house of Cori Pollenwith the daylight door.· Drew looked at the empty house.· Those empty houses bore mute witness to the violence of the times.· It will banish any anxieties that you may have about being alone at night or coming home to an empty house.· He could not have stayed in his empty house.· Obediently he went out and moved it round the back of the empty house next door.· There was no elderly widow to con, but there was an empty house, and one he knew well.
· By the 1960s, the red brick city was mottled with decaying buildings and empty lots.· Across an empty lot, on the other side, was an Ames supermarket.· He stood out on the empty lot, flickering lights of a passing train blessing him.· Ben was starting to say something else when he slowed down by an empty lot.· There was an empty lot there full of overgrown weeds and crunchy brown grass and the shattered remnants of a shack.· There are plenty of empty lots, you know.· Found murdered, unidentified eighteen-year old male in empty lot on Jackson Avenue, South Bronx.
· No one ever told me either that a stepmother could suffer so badly from empty nest syndrome.· There will be no empty nest, no shedding of familial responsibilities and expense.· I am swimming away from my friends' deaths, from depression and an empty nest.· Many women enjoy an empty nest.
· Five tired, unhappy men, in the coldest, emptiest place on earth.· First Stevie departed, leaving me and Amy to cry over his empty place at table, then Amy followed him.· There was an empty place at the bottom of the table.· I found myself standing in a huge empty place with signs and arrows everywhere on the floors and walls.· They talked about their day, and tried to ignore the empty place at the head of the table.· By tomorrow night Wimbledon was going to be an easier, cleaner, emptier place in which to live.· From whatever inaccessible pit of bitterness the words reached out to touch an empty place in her own life.· It's an empty place, me and the sky.
· Louis sat listlessly in his place opposite his dead wife's high-backed chair and empty plate.· He removes the empty plates and napkins and cups from the table and tosses them into the bag.· When we had finished, Jacob took the empty plates away.· The waiter removed their empty plates and brought huge portions of southern-fried chicken.· The manservant came in, cleared the empty plates and brought a great bowlful of pears and hothouse peaches.· He pushed the empty plate away from him and leaned his arms on the table.· As he pushed away the empty plates she waited for him to make some comment about the meal.· As he finished he smiled and handed me the empty plate.
· To all these petitions the Crown returned empty promises of redress.· This is the circus of empty promises and dry press releases that are part and parcel of meetings like these.· Maybe, but empty promises are not on the list.
· An extra £750m will be used before the end of 1992/93 to buy up some empty properties in the owner-occupied housing sector.· Then there are the moves to buy up empty properties and for temporary increases in local authority investment.· Discounts for empty properties will be assessed at 50 percent.· The Government must discontinue their stupid propaganda about empty properties and do something about them.· But, as I understand it, the present legislation insists that all empty properties will be assessed at 50 percent.· Looks at evidence of abandonment including empty property, declining property values, and demolition.· If the landlord proves the stronger, the draftsman should make provision for the assessment of rent for empty property.· The fire spread into the roof of an adjoining empty property.
· There were just the mist and the empty roads, and the far-of crowing of cockerels in the dawn.· I crossed the fields to an empty road.· He stepped aside and the auburn-haired girl strode forward into the empty road carrying the roses loosely in her arm.· The empty road ran through thick jungle.· He pulled on a beret and stared down the empty road, then he checked his watch, frowning.· Laverne zips across the empty road, the airborne snakes skim along after him.· Rain sped along the wide empty road between the blue sea and the high mountains where ochre patches were precarious villages.· Caro dreamed she was driving along a straight empty road.
· A large, empty room with high, narrow windows through which the bright day filtered slowly on to various shades of brown.· The main character is now standing in a bright, empty room with black and white floor tiles.· What does it mean, standing there in the empty room, bigger than a man?· His voice echoed through the empty room.· Each empty room made the next door yet more threatening.· We stepped in cautiously and discovered a series of bare, empty rooms.· The empty room mocked him, emphasised the lost vitality of her presence.· To prove this, a photographer took a black-and-white picture of a chair in an empty room.
· If you are going to reach people through the media, never have many empty seats.· They were sitting in the front row, talking to each other over two empty seats.· The many empty seats in the chamber attested to the opposition the proposals will receive as they are debated in coming weeks.· First off, there were a good number of empty seats.· The questioner should move to an empty seat as far away as possible.· Primo waves his hand at his own reflection and that of the empty seat on the opposite side of the aisle.· Her bêtenoire eased his long frame into the empty seat across the aisle.· The same losing team they were with Wayne Gretzky, and many more empty seats.
· Database Database programs are often described as empty shell, content-free and cross-curricular software.· Even empty shells serve as some animals' homes.· Your local dealer should have some empty shells for it to grow into.· Many are in parks and preserves, where those empty shells are safeguarded.· Do not buy snails from a tank containing empty shells or dead snails.· During the course of psychotherapy, it quickly became apparent to Tom that his marriage was a pretty empty shell.· Only the husk, the empty shell of what they'd come for.· But the alert was called off when it was identified as a dummy empty shell.
· He's not human; he's an empty space disguised as a human.· You can click on an empty space on the desktop and bring up the Task Manager.· I want you to go over to that empty space and turn around in it a few times.· She saw an empty space on the walls and demanded to know where the picture was.· Prosperity was an endless prairie, and corporations expanded almost exponentially to fill those empty spaces.· They did away with the ether 100 years ago or so, and settled for empty space.· Does not empty space whirl continually about us?
· No use mourning on an empty stomach.· The wine Adrienne had kept passing to her was taking hold of an empty stomach.· An empty stomach and the pain of her ankle had been too much for her.· I tend to be very short-tempered on an empty stomach.· She got it shut, and leaning with difficulty to the jolting bowl, she vomited colourless fluids from her empty stomach.· She saw an empty stomach, her cause for existence.· Besides, he had chosen a tasty nourishing meal which would not lie too heavily on her achingly empty stomach.· Alendronate must be taken only with a full glass of plain water, first thing in the morning on an empty stomach.
· Down in the housing scheme there was hardly a noise; the lamps fizzed quietly on the empty street.· He gazed down the empty street, and then across it to the marsh, and saw her.· Now she was rattling along the empty streets, the horse's hooves sounding sharp and crisp in the silence.· Ralph waved at the empty street awhile; even the gas fumes seemed to be evaporating before he was ready.· It was a strange feeling to see the military patrols in the empty streets on election day, 15 February 1996.· The rain fell on empty streets.· Air-raid wardens in tin helmets watched the skies and silence descended on the empty streets.· But all at once, then, there on that apparently empty street, I smelled an impossible aroma.
· He expected her to trust him, but as far as she could see they were just empty words.· Hadn't he said that to express it would be just empty words?· These are not empty words and phrases, but principles given powerful institutional sanction.
PHRASES FROM THE ENTRY► empty suit► be running on empty► empty of somethingPHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES► somebody sees the glass as half-empty/half-full
1container having nothing inside: - I overslept and had to go to class on an empty stomach.
- You shouldn't take the pills on an empty stomach.
- Alendronate must be taken only with a full glass of plain water, first thing in the morning on an empty stomach.
- I mean, neither of us had eaten since the early hours, and drinking on an empty stomach is dodgy.
- I tend to be very short-tempered on an empty stomach.
- No use mourning on an empty stomach.
- The next two got off more lightly: two spoonfuls of vinegar three times a day, also on an empty stomach.
- The sensation of nausea on an empty stomach was peculiarly unpleasant.
- There was little point, Manville decided, on a man eating on an empty stomach.
- They report to work at 8.30am on an empty stomach.
- I am swimming away from my friends' deaths, from depression and an empty nest.
- Many women enjoy an empty nest.
- No one ever told me either that a stepmother could suffer so badly from empty nest syndrome.
- There will be no empty nest, no shedding of familial responsibilities and expense.
- Hadn't he said that to express it would be just empty words?
- He expected her to trust him, but as far as she could see they were just empty words.
- He listens politely, then makes plausible but essentially empty gestures.
- I tried to make choices, but wound up with empty gestures.
- These are not empty words and phrases, but principles given powerful institutional sanction.
- This is the circus of empty promises and dry press releases that are part and parcel of meetings like these.
- To all these petitions the Crown returned empty promises of redress.
- Alendronate must be taken only with a full glass of plain water, first thing in the morning on an empty stomach.
- I mean, neither of us had eaten since the early hours, and drinking on an empty stomach is dodgy.
- I tend to be very short-tempered on an empty stomach.
- No use mourning on an empty stomach.
- The next two got off more lightly: two spoonfuls of vinegar three times a day, also on an empty stomach.
- The sensation of nausea on an empty stomach was peculiarly unpleasant.
- There was little point, Manville decided, on a man eating on an empty stomach.
- They report to work at 8.30am on an empty stomach.
an empty box an empty bottle an empty space behind the desk The fuel tank’s almost empty.2place an empty place does not have any people in it: I hate coming home to an empty house. The hall was half-empty. The streets were empty. The building stood empty for several years.3not used not being used by anyone: I spotted an empty table in the corner. He put his feet on an empty chair.4person/life unhappy because nothing in your life seems interesting or important: The divorce left him feeling empty and bitter. Her life felt empty and meaningless.5empty of something not containing a particular type of thing, or not having a particular quality: The beach was almost empty of people.6empty words/gestures/promises etc words etc that are not sincere, or have no effect: His repeated promises to pay them back were just empty words.7do something on an empty stomach to do something without having eaten any food first: I can’t work properly on an empty stomach.8empty nest (also empty nest syndrome) a situation in which parents become sad because their children have grown up and moved out of their house9empty suit especially American English a politician or manager who does not achieve much or does not have much ability10be running on empty to continue doing something even though you no longer have supplies of something you need in order to do it properly: With the country running on empty, the president has no hope of winning the election.—emptily adverbTHESAURUSwith nothing in it or on itempty used about something that has nothing inside: · an empty can of hair spray· The fridge is almost empty.blank used about a computer screen or a piece of paper that has no writing or pictures on it, or a CD, DVD etc with nothing recorded on it: · a blank sheet of paper· He stared at the blank screen for a few minutes.· a blank tapebare used about a room or cupboard that has very little in it: · His room was bare except for a bed and a wardrobe.hollow used about something that has an empty space inside: · a hollow tree· The suitcase had a hollow bottom.with no peopleempty used about a place that has no one in it or no one using it: · There were no lights on and the house looked empty.· the empty streetsfree used about a seat, space, or room that is available to use because no one else is using it: · Is this seat free?· There are never any parking spaces free at this time of day.vacant used about a room or building that is available for people to pay to use: · a vacant apartment· The next guesthouse we tried had a couple of rooms vacant.deserted used about a place that is quiet because there is no one there, or because the people who used to be there have left: · a deserted village· It was three o'clock in the morning and the streets were deserted.uninhabited /ˌʌnɪnˈhæbətəd◂/ used about a place that has no people living in it, especially permanently: · an uninhabited islandunoccupied /ʌnˈɒkjəpaɪd $ -ˈɑːk-/ especially written used about a house, room, or office that no one is living in or using at the moment: · unoccupied buildings· Burglaries frequently happen when people are on holiday and their house is unoccupied.empty1 adjectiveempty2 verb
emptyempty2 ●●○ verb (past tense and past participle emptied, present participle emptying, third person singular empties) VERB TABLE
empty
| Simple Form | ||
| Present | I, you, we, they | empty |
| he, she, it | empties | |
| Past | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | emptied |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have emptied |
| he, she, it | has emptied | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had emptied |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will empty |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have emptied |
| Continuous Form | ||
| Present | I | am emptying |
| he, she, it | is emptying | |
| you, we, they | are emptying | |
| Past | I, he, she, it | was emptying |
| you, we, they | were emptying | |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have been emptying |
| he, she, it | has been emptying | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had been emptying |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will be emptying |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have been emptying |
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- "See you," he called, emptying his glass and making for the door.
- By the autumn, the hotels along the sea front were emptying, and the town became quiet again.
- Could you empty the wastebasket - it's getting pretty full.
- On Saturday night, most of the clubs empty at around 3 am.
- Paul emptied the glass and washed it.
- She emptied the contents of the tin into a pan.
- The garbage cans are emptied once a week.
- The judge emptied the courtroom when fighting almost broke out between members of the defendant's family.
- The police made us stand against the wall and told us to empty our pockets.
- We crept up behind him and emptied the bucket of water over his head.
- When we reached Dortmund the carriage emptied, and I was left alone.
- You can empty those glasses out in the sink.
- Alice hurriedly put out the cigarette and got up to empty the ash tray.
- Alternatively, you will need to empty the bath and refill it with clean water.
- It was absolutely pouring down as though some one up top was emptying buckets.
- Once again masked gunmen appeared, lined up all the passengers, and emptied their pockets of valuables.
- She came up with a routine for visiting the tables, and even managed to empty a few ashtrays.
- The chair against the wall, which was the only thing to come close to helping him empty his mind.
- Then, next time you go to the toilet, try this stop test half way through emptying your bladder.
Longman Language Activatorcontainer/bottle/glass
a container, bottle, or glass that is empty has nothing inside it: · There were two empty beer bottles on the table.· I noticed her glass was empty, and offered her some more wine.· There was nothing at all in the room except an empty cupboard.half empty (=used to say that half of the contents of a packet. bottle etc have been used ): · We've only got one bottle of milk left, and that's half empty.
informal empty containers, especially empty bottles: · The bartender picked up the crate of empties and took it down to the cellar.· You can get some money back if you return the empties to the shop.
use this to say that a container is empty: · I looked in her bag, but there was nothing in it.
building/room/seat a building, room, or seat that is empty has nothing or no-one in it: · My footsteps echoed across the empty room.· We were a little worried to find that half the seats in the theatre were empty.· Police say the shot was fired from an empty office building across the street.half empty (=used to say that a room, building etc has not got many people in it): · I was surprised that the train was half empty at that time of day.
a seat, space, or room that is free is not being used and is available for people to use: · Is this seat free?· There are never any parking spaces free at this time of day.· The meeting room won't be free until at least 3.30, I'm afraid.
a building, room, or seat that is vacant is not being used and is available for people to use: · The police had set up a temporary station in a vacant apartment across the street.· The next guesthouse we tried had a couple of rooms vacant.· Brunton went into the bar, but he couldn't spot a single vacant seat.
a room or building that is bare has very little furniture or other things in it: · The room was completely bare except for a bed against the wall.· We spent a long time walking through the bare rooms, remembering the games we used to play there.
especially written an unoccupied house, room, office etc is not being lived in or used: · Many of the old houses that back onto the railway are now unoccupied.· It's a scandal that there are so many unoccupied buildings in this city, and so many homeless people.
place/area of land a place that is empty has no-one in it: · It was 2 o'clock in the morning and the streets were completely empty.
a place that is deserted is empty and quiet because there is no one there, or the people who are usually there have left: · The beach was deserted and unsafe for bathing according to the guidebook.· We passed through several deserted villages whose inhabitants had fled.
an area or place that is uninhabited has no people living in it: · Most of the islands in Clear Bay are uninhabited.· Access to this remote uninhabited Himalayan mountain is via high snow-covered passes.
an area that is desolate is empty and sad-looking, because there are no people there, no trees or plants growing, and nothing attractive to see: · We looked out over a desolate landscape of bare trees and stony fields.· The little mining town was desolate and ugly.· the desolate terrain of the moon
a town that is empty because all the people have left: become/turn into a ghost town: · Since the closing of the coal mines the place has become a ghost town.· By March the population had been evacuated, and Verdun had become a ghost town.
an area of land, especially in a city, that is empty, ugly, and unused: · The area down by the docks is just a wasteland.· Detectives discovered the man's body dumped on wasteland near the railway.
paper/tape/screen a blank screen, tape, or piece of paper has nothing written or recorded on it: · Ian stared at the blank sheet of paper in front of him.· I want to record the late-night movie. Do we have any blank video cassettes?
a place that has been left empty in a piece of writing, especially so that you can write something in it: · There's a space for you to sign your name.· Write your address in the space provided.empty space: · The students were told to fill in the empty spaces with suitable adjectives.
a page or piece of paper that is empty has nothing written or drawn on it: · He stared at the empty page. The test was nearly over, and he hadn't managed to answer any of the questions.· an empty canvas with a few red blobs in the centre
to make something empty to make something empty by removing what was in it: · The garbage cans are emptied once a week.empty your pockets: · The police made us stand against the wall and told us to empty our pockets.empty your glass (=drink everything that is in it): · "See you," he called, emptying his glass and making for the door.
to remove all the liquid from a large container or a machine: · The police even drained the lake in their search for the body.drain off something/drain something off: · To remove algae from your aquarium, drain off the water and wash the tank thoroughly.
to empty a room, cupboard, house etc, especially because you no longer want the things that are in it: clear out something: · I found a pile of her old letters while I was clearing out my desk.clear something out: · We have to clear the garage out this weekend.
British to empty a cupboard, a drawer, pockets etc, especially when you are looking for something: turn out something/turn something out: · The headteacher told them to turn out their pockets.· The thieves had turned out the drawer, scattering the contents on the floor.
to make everyone leave a place to empty a place by asking the people in it to leave: · Police cleared the building and carried out a controlled explosion.· The area around the palace had been cleared for the parade.
if the police or the authorities evacuate a place, they order everyone in it to leave, especially because it may be dangerous: · A five-block area had to be evacuated following the discovery of 500 pounds of dynamite in a house.· Terra, 60 miles southwest of Salt Lake City, was evacuated as the fires threatened to spread.
a room or place becomes empty to become empty because all the people leave: · On Saturday night, most of the clubs empty at around 3 am.· By the autumn, the hotels along the sea front were emptying, and the town became quiet again.· When we reached Dortmund the carriage emptied, and I was left alone.
to make something possible to make liquid or a substance flow steadily out of a container, by making the container lean to one side: pour something into/out of something: · She poured some milk into a glass.· Dan picked up the bucket and poured the sand out of it.pour something on/over/into something: · Pour the garlic sauce over the hot chicken pieces.pour in/out: · Gradually pour in the sherry and the stock.· Would you pour out the tea?
to accidentally make a liquid or substance come out of a container: · Careful - you'll spill it!spill something on/over/into something: · Someone had spilled red wine all over the carpet.· A tanker has run aground, spilling 60,000 gallons of oil into the sea.
to make a container empty by pouring out everything inside it: · Paul emptied the glass and washed it.· Could you empty the wastebasket - it's getting pretty full.empty something into/onto/over something: · She emptied the contents of the tin into a pan.· We crept up behind him and emptied the bucket of water over his head.
to pour or put a liquid or substance in small amounts onto something, especially food, so that the surface is thinly covered: sprinkle something on/over something: · Sprinkle the cheese over the beans.sprinkle something with something: · Sprinkle the fish with lemon juice and herbs.
to pour something out of a container by turning it upside down: tip something into/out of/onto something: · She weighed out the flour and tipped it into the bowl.
to pour a liquid in small amounts over something, especially food - used especially in cooking instructions: drizzle something over something: · Drizzle a little French dressing over the salad.drizzle something with something: · Slice the strawberries and drizzle them with the liqueur.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY Ruth emptied her glass (=drank all the liquid left in it) in one gulp.COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES I spent all morning looking for a suitable present, but came home empty-handed. a half-empty wine bottle I wish you’d stop leaving the door open. The book lay open on the table.
Ruth emptied her glass (=drank all the liquid left in it) in one gulp.· I've emptied my bags and I still can't find it.
(=with no one on it)· We took a boat to a deserted beach.
(=a false statement that something is good or possible) ‘Making knowledge work’ is the university’s phrase, and it is no idle boast (=not a boast, but true).
‘Making knowledge work’ is the university’s phrase, and it is no idle boast (=not a boast, but true). (=get rid of solid waste from your body)
(=that do not contain anything good for your body)· Sugary drinks are full of empty calories.
(=with no one using it)· She came and sat in an empty chair beside me.
· A girl was clearing away the empty cups.
(=drink all the coffee, tea etc in it)· He lifted his cup of coffee and drained it.
(=with no buildings or people in it)· Outside the city there was nothing but empty desert.
(=that no one is using)· There are one or two empty desks in the office.
I spent all morning looking for a suitable present, but came home empty-handed. (=something you do that does not achieve anything important)· The president's attempt at negotiation was an empty gesture which failed to satisfy his critics.
a half-empty wine bottle I wish you’d stop leaving the door open. The book lay open on the table. (=take everything out of your pockets in order to find something)· His mother made him turn out his pockets.
(=one that will not be kept)· I didn’t make any false promises.
· Patrick spotted an empty seat near the back.
(=a slogan that promises something which is not actually done)· We want real progress, not just empty slogans.
· Another day we returned to find an empty space where the TV should have been.
(=not being used) scores of derelict houses standing empty I’m not too thrilled with the way things stand (=the state that the situation is in) at the moment. The evidence, as it stands (=as it is now), cannot be conclusive.
scores of derelict houses standing empty I’m not too thrilled with the way things stand (=the state that the situation is in) at the moment. The evidence, as it stands (=as it is now), cannot be conclusive. (=with no food in)· It was 11 o'clock, and my stomach was empty.
(=with no people)· As he walked home, the street was deserted.
(=one that is not sincere)· She was not a woman to make idle threats.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADVERB· All the pubs and clubs empty out at the same time.· Theresa emptied out her sweater drawer.· This is set on one side to start again after emptying out your reward, the valuable compost.· I wanted the city to empty out and leave us alone for ever.· I slipped it back into its proper place, noting that the suspicious-minded Rico had emptied out all the shells.· Fifi continues to pack from a pile of clothes she has emptied out of her drawers on to the floor.· Only once the real meaning has been systematically emptied out of commodities does advertising then refill this void with its own symbols.· As the waitress removes the plates, I notice the restaurant is emptying out.
NOUN· She came up with a routine for visiting the tables, and even managed to empty a few ashtrays.· There were waiters everywhere, coming and going all during the meal, emptying ashtrays, filling our glasses of water.· For example, if he had to smoke in her flat, he could at least have the decency to empty the ashtray.· Duncan was coming closer with the brush and a big bucket, emptying ashtrays and mopping things.
· Then, next time you go to the toilet, try this stop test half way through emptying your bladder.· Marlin was taking his time emptying his bladder.· Subjects then emptied their bladders, saving a sample of urine.· By the age of 3 years most children can voluntarily initiate emptying a full bladder and later a partly full bladder.· As he emptied his bladder he stared at his face in the shaving mirror.
· He emptied a bottle of white rum into a sticky pineapple brew.· The long trek in hot weather sapped our energy and emptied our water bottles.· One night, I emptied a ninety dollar bottle of cognac into him.
· Then Paul saw that he had emptied all the contents, and that the bottle was now empty.· She was emptying the contents of a stone mortar, a tobacco-colored crush of leaves, on to a scrap of coarse paper.· Sitting down opposite without a word he picked up the glass and emptied the contents down his throat.· They emptied the contents of one tanker into two smaller ones already on the base.· Lorton emptied the contents on to the table.· I filled a glass with water, emptied the contents of the bottle into it, and drank it down.· She wanted to empty the contents of the tin into the sink and flush it away.· They were eventually repulsed by troops, but a military storeroom was emptied of its contents in the melee.
· She wiped her lips on a vast white napkin and emptied her glass of wine.
· The chair against the wall, which was the only thing to come close to helping him empty his mind.· Take a sheet of paper before going in to any negotiation and empty your mind on to the sheet of paper.· When I try and empty my own mind, every bit of detritus in the world sails by.
· He ordered her to empty her pockets on the carpet in front of her.· This is the only place in the world where they empty your pockets and press your pants at the same time.· He made piles of quarters in his sock drawer when he emptied his pockets at night.· He would take a long time emptying his pockets of change, shedding his clothes, asking me where his pajamas were.· But the sooner he emptied the inside pocket of his jacket, the better.· Once again masked gunmen appeared, lined up all the passengers, and emptied their pockets of valuables.· He had emptied their pockets and thrown away their hope.· When Grandma understood what the man said about wanting to search me, she told me to empty my pockets.
PHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES► somebody sees the glass as half-empty/half-full
1 (also empty out) [transitive] to remove everything that is inside something: - Alendronate must be taken only with a full glass of plain water, first thing in the morning on an empty stomach.
- I mean, neither of us had eaten since the early hours, and drinking on an empty stomach is dodgy.
- I tend to be very short-tempered on an empty stomach.
- No use mourning on an empty stomach.
- The next two got off more lightly: two spoonfuls of vinegar three times a day, also on an empty stomach.
- The sensation of nausea on an empty stomach was peculiarly unpleasant.
- There was little point, Manville decided, on a man eating on an empty stomach.
- They report to work at 8.30am on an empty stomach.
Did you empty the dishwasher?empty something onto/into something Elinor emptied the contents of the envelope onto the table. He emptied out the ashtray. Ruth emptied her glass (=drank all the liquid left in it) in one gulp.2[intransitive] if a place empties, everyone leaves it: The stores were closing, and the streets began to empty.empty into something phrasal verb if a river empties into a larger area of water, it flows into it: The Mississippi River empties into the Gulf of Mexico.