Meaning of Idiom ‘Draw a Blank’
Draw a Blank: To try to find something, obtain something, accomplish something, etc. and fail; to try to think of something and fail; to get no result or response.
Usage
“I’ve been looking for the missing file for weeks but I’ve drawn a blank.”
“I tried to get some friends to help me move but I drew a blank.”
“We’ve tried to get to the senator but we drew a blank.”
“I know his face but every time I try to think of his name, I draw a blank.”
Origin
Dating from the early 1800’s, the expression alludes to drawing a lottery or raffle ticket with nothing written on it, so that one cannot win a prize. (Bloomsbury Dictionary of Idioms, American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms)
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