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draw a blank

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draw a blank

 

1. . Fig. to get no response; to find nothing. I asked him about Tom's financial problems, and I just drew a blank. We looked in the files for an hour, but we drew a blank.

2. Fig. to fail to remember something. I tried to remember her telephone number, but I could only draw a blank. It was a very hard test with just one question to answer, and I drew a blank.

See also: blank, draw

draw a blank

1. to forget something When Phil asked Lee which airline they were flying on, Lee drew a blank.

2. to be unable to get information Hoover asked the investigators to find out about Byrne, but they drew a blank.

See also: blank, draw

draw a blank

to be unable to get information, think of something, or achieve something Ask them about the car's performance and you'll draw a blank. We've asked 2000 schools to join the campaign, but so far we've drawn a blank. (= none of them agreed)

See also: blank, draw

draw a blank

Fail to find or remember something, as in He looks familiar but I've drawn a blank on his name. This expression alludes to drawing a lottery ticket with nothing on it (so one cannot win a prize). [Early 1800s]

See also: blank, draw

draw a blank

To fail to find or remember something.

See also: blank, draw