empty (emptier comparative) (emptiest superlative) (empties plural & 3rd person present) (emptying present participle) (emptied past tense & past participle )
1 adj An empty place, vehicle, or container is one that has no people or things in it.
oft ADJ of n
The room was bare and empty., ...empty cans of lager..., The roads were nearly empty of traffic.
2 adj An empty gesture, threat, or relationship has no real value or meaning.
usu ADJ n
His father threatened to throw him out, but he knew it was an empty threat., ...to ensure the event is not perceived as an empty gesture.
3 adj If you describe a person's life or a period of time as empty, you mean that nothing interesting or valuable happens in it.
usu v-link ADJ
My life was very hectic but empty before I met him.
4 adj If you feelempty, you feel unhappy and have no energy, usually because you are very tired or have just experienced something upsetting.
usu feel ADJ, also ADJ n
I feel so empty, my life just doesn't seem worth living any more.
5 verb If you empty a container, or empty something out of it, you remove its contents, especially by tipping it up.
I emptied the ashtray... V n
Empty the noodles and liquid into a serving bowl... V n prep
He emptied the contents out into the palm of his hand. V n with out
6 verb If someone empties a room or place, or if it empties, everyone that is in it goes away.
The stadium emptied at the end of the first day of athletics. V
...a woman who could empty a pub full of drunks just by lifting one fist. V n
7 verb A river or canal that empties into a lake, river, or sea flows into it.
The Washougal empties into the Columbia River near Portland. V into n
8 n-count Empties are bottles or containers which no longer have anything in them. usu pl
empty-handed
If you come away from somewhere empty-handed, you have failed to get what you wanted. adj ADJ after v
Delegates from the warring sides held a new round of peace talks but went away empty-handed...
empty-headed
If you describe someone as empty-headed, you mean that they are not very intelligent and often do silly things. adj
