# draw a blank

> English word · Verb

## Definitions
1. To be unable to recall a required piece of information.
2. To fail; not to find anything; to produce no successful response.

## Etymology
Probably from the idea of drawing of a blank (losing) ticket in an old-fashioned lottery.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/draw-a-blank