Empty
/ˈɛmpti/
Definitions
2 meaningsContaining nothing; devoid of contents.
/ˈɛmpti/
Containing nothing; not filled or occupied.
The empty room echoed with her footsteps.
💡 Simply: It's like when you open your lunch bag and there's nothing inside, or when the cup has all the juice gone, it's empty!
👶 For kids: When something doesn't have anything inside it.
More Examples
He poured the empty carton into the trash.
The empty promises of the politician meant nothing to the voters.
How It's Used
"The empty bottle was thrown in the recycling bin."
"The truck was returning empty after delivering its cargo."
To remove the contents of something; to make or become empty.
/ˈɛmpti/
To make something empty; to remove the contents of.
He emptied the trash can.
💡 Simply: It means to take everything out of a container. Like when you empty the cereal box to get the last bit of cereal out!
👶 For kids: To take everything out of something.
More Examples
The workers emptied the warehouse of its inventory.
She emptied her purse to find her keys.
How It's Used
"She emptied the dishwasher after dinner."
"The engineers had to empty the fuel tank before servicing the vehicle."
Idioms & expressions
empty-handed
Having nothing to show for one's efforts; without success or reward.
"The negotiator returned empty-handed after the talks failed."
From Old English *ǣmettig*, meaning "at leisure, idle, unoccupied", and further related to *ǣmetta*, meaning "leisure, vacancy."
The word 'empty' has been used since Old English times to describe a lack of content or occupation, and its usage has remained consistent through centuries.
Memory tip
Think of an empty box - it has nothing in it.
Word Origin
"at leisure, unoccupied"