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empty

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The definition of empty is having or containing nothing, or having no worth, meaning or value.

(adjective)

An example of something empty is a swimming pool with no water in it.
An example of something empty is a promise that cannot be delivered upon.

Empty is defined as to remove all of something.

(verb)

An example of empty is to pour all of the remaining milk into a bowl of cereal.

See empty in Webster's New World College Dictionary

adjective emptier, emptiest

containing nothing; having nothing in it
having no one in it; unoccupied; vacant: an empty house
carrying or bearing nothing; bare
having no worth or purpose; useless or unsatisfying: empty pleasure
without meaning or force; insincere; vain: empty promises
Informal hungry

Origin: ME emti & (with intrusive -p-) empti < OE æmettig, unoccupied, lit., at leisure < æmetta, leisure (< æ-, without + base of motan, to have to: see must) + -ig, -y

transitive verb emptied, emptying

to make empty
1. to pour out or remove (the contents) of something
2. to transfer (the contents) into, onto, or on something else
to unburden or discharge (oneself or itself)

intransitive verb

to become empty
to pour out; discharge: the river empties into the sea

noun pl. empties

an empty freight car, truck, bottle, etc.

Related Forms:

emptily adverb
emptiness noun

See empty in American Heritage Dictionary 4

adjective emp·ti·er, emp·ti·est

a. Holding or containing nothing.
b. Mathematics Having no elements or members; null: an empty set.
Having no occupants or inhabitants; vacant: an empty chair; empty desert.
Lacking force or power: an empty threat.
Lacking purpose or substance; meaningless: an empty life.
Not put to use; idle: empty hours.
Needing nourishment; hungry: “More fierce and more inexorable far/Than empty tigers or the roaring sea” (Shakespeare).
Devoid; destitute: empty of pity.

verb emp·tied, emp·ty·ing, emp·ties

verb, transitive

To remove the contents of: emptied the dishwasher.
To transfer or pour off completely: empty the ashes into a pail.
To unburden; relieve: empty oneself of doubt.

verb, intransitive

To become empty: The theater emptied after the performance.
To discharge its contents: The river empties into a bay.

noun pl. emp·ties
Informal

An empty container.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English

Origin: , from Old English ǣmtig, vacant, unoccupied

Origin: , from ǣmetta, leisure; see med- in Indo-European roots

Related Forms:

empˈti·ly adverb

empˈti·ness noun

Word History: In Old English Ic eom ǣmtig could mean “I am empty,” “I am unoccupied,” or “I am unmarried.” The sense “unoccupied, at leisure,” which did not survive Old English, points to the derivation of ǣmtig from the Old English word ǣmetta, “leisure, rest.” The word ǣmetta may in turn go back to the Germanic root *mōt-, meaning “ability, leisure.” In any case, Old English ǣmtig also meant “vacant,” a sense that was destined to take over the meaning of the word. Empty, the Modern English descendant of Old English ǣmtig, has come to have the sense “idle,” so that one can speak of empty leisure.

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