emptyempty1 /ˈɛmpti/ ●●● S2 W1 adjective (comparative emptier, superlative emptiest) 1
CONTAINER having nothing inside: Her glass was empty, so I offered her more lemonade. The gas tank is almost empty. There is an empty box under the stairs if you need it.THESAURUShollow – used about something that has an empty space inside: Sometimes small animals make nests in a hollow tree.bare – used about a room or area that has very little in it: The cupboards were completely bare.blank – used about a computer screen, a piece of paper, or a wall that has no writing or pictures on it. You can also use blank about a CD, DVD, etc. that has nothing recorded on it: He stared at a blank sheet of paper, not sure what to write.2PLACE an empty place does not have any people in it: I hate coming home to an empty house. During spring break, the campus was empty. The plane was half empty (=used to emphasize that something was not full). The building has stood empty for 20 years.empty of somebody The beach was almost empty of people.THESAURUSdeserted – used about a place that is empty and quiet because no people are there: It was three o’clock in the morning, and the streets were deserted.uninhabited – used about a place that has no people living in it: There are some islands off the coast of Africa that are uninhabited.desolate – used about a place that is empty and looks sad because there are no people there and there is nothing attractive to see: The movie is set in a small desolate town in western Texas.3NOT USED not being used by anyone: I spotted an empty table in the corner. He put his feet on an empty chair.THESAURUSfree – used about a seat, space, or room that is available to use because no one else is using it: Is this seat free?vacant – used about a room or building that is empty and available for someone to pay to use: Many of the units in the apartment building are vacant.unoccupied formal – used about a seat, house, or room that no one is living in or using: We had to look around to find an unoccupied bench in the gardens.4PERSON/LIFE unhappy because nothing seems interesting or important, or because you feel your life has no purpose: After the divorce, he felt empty and bitter. Her life felt empty and meaningless.5empty words/promises/gestures etc. words, promises, etc. that are not sincere, or have no effect: His repeated promises were just empty words.6do something on an empty stomach to do something without having eaten any food first: I overslept and had to take the test on an empty stomach.7empty nest (also empty nest syndrome) a situation in which parents become sad because their children have grown up and moved out of their house8be empty of something to not have a particular quality: His tired face was empty of expression.[Origin: Old English æmettig]—emptily adverb → see also empties
CONTAINER having nothing inside: Her glass was empty, so I offered her more lemonade. The gas tank is almost empty. There is an empty box under the stairs if you need it.THESAURUShollow – used about something that has an empty space inside: Sometimes small animals make nests in a hollow tree.bare – used about a room or area that has very little in it: The cupboards were completely bare.blank – used about a computer screen, a piece of paper, or a wall that has no writing or pictures on it. You can also use blank about a CD, DVD, etc. that has nothing recorded on it: He stared at a blank sheet of paper, not sure what to write.2PLACE an empty place does not have any people in it: I hate coming home to an empty house. During spring break, the campus was empty. The plane was half empty (=used to emphasize that something was not full). The building has stood empty for 20 years.empty of somebody The beach was almost empty of people.THESAURUSdeserted – used about a place that is empty and quiet because no people are there: It was three o’clock in the morning, and the streets were deserted.uninhabited – used about a place that has no people living in it: There are some islands off the coast of Africa that are uninhabited.desolate – used about a place that is empty and looks sad because there are no people there and there is nothing attractive to see: The movie is set in a small desolate town in western Texas.3NOT USED not being used by anyone: I spotted an empty table in the corner. He put his feet on an empty chair.THESAURUSfree – used about a seat, space, or room that is available to use because no one else is using it: Is this seat free?vacant – used about a room or building that is empty and available for someone to pay to use: Many of the units in the apartment building are vacant.unoccupied formal – used about a seat, house, or room that no one is living in or using: We had to look around to find an unoccupied bench in the gardens.4PERSON/LIFE unhappy because nothing seems interesting or important, or because you feel your life has no purpose: After the divorce, he felt empty and bitter. Her life felt empty and meaningless.5empty words/promises/gestures etc. words, promises, etc. that are not sincere, or have no effect: His repeated promises were just empty words.6do something on an empty stomach to do something without having eaten any food first: I overslept and had to take the test on an empty stomach.7empty nest (also empty nest syndrome) a situation in which parents become sad because their children have grown up and moved out of their house8be empty of something to not have a particular quality: His tired face was empty of expression.[Origin: Old English æmettig]—emptily adverb → see also empties