draw a blank
To be unable to recall a required piece of informationTo be unable to recall a required piece of information.
» I drew a blank during the exam.
Nuel · Tatoeba · CC BY 2.0 FRMeaning
2 senses(idiomatic)To be unable to recall a required piece of information.
I should know that person's name, but I'm drawing a blank.
be unable to remember
(idiomatic)To fail; not to find anything; to produce no successful response.
Examples
4 sentencesI drew a blank during the exam.
He drew a blank when I asked him what he remembered of the accident.
I'm in the habit of taking handwritten notes, yet I still often draw a blank when picking up a pen.
Every time I try to answer a simple question in front of an audience, I get nervous and draw a blank.
deJedesmal, wenn ich vor einer Zuhörerschaft versuche, eine einfache Frage zu beantworten, werde ich nervös und bekomme einen Filmriß. — Waldelfe
Translations
4 languagesOrigin
Probably from the idea of drawing of a blank (losing) ticket in an old-fashioned lottery.Probably from the idea of drawing of a blank (losing) ticket in an old-fashioned lottery.
Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Forms
draws a blank, drawing a blank, drew a blank, drawn a blank| Base form | draw a blank · to draw a blank |
|---|---|
| 3rd person singular | draws a blank |
| Present participle | drawing a blank |
| Past simple | drew a blank |
| Past participle | drawn a blank |
irregular · Lesson
Synonyms
3 synonymsWord family
3 related wordsLessons for this word
3 lessons- A1Present simple — Because it is a verb
- A1Past simple, irregular verbs — Because of its past form
- A2Present perfect: introduction — Because of its past participle