- empty-handed
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adjective
Date: 1589
1. having or bringing nothing
2. having acquired or gained nothing <came back empty-handed>
New Collegiate Dictionary. 2001.
empty-handed
Look at other dictionaries:
empty-handed — adj. having acquired or gained nothing; as, the returned from the negotiations empty handed. Syn: unrewarded. [WordNet 1.5] 2. carrying nothing in the hands. [WordNet 1.5] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
empty-handed — adj without getting what you hoped or expected to get return/come back etc empty handed ▪ I spent all morning looking for a suitable present, but came home empty handed … Dictionary of contemporary English
empty-handed — index poor (underprivileged) Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 … Law dictionary
empty-handed — ► ADJECTIVE ▪ having failed to obtain or achieve what one wanted … English terms dictionary
empty-handed — [emp′tēhan΄did] adj. bringing, gaining, or carrying away nothing … English World dictionary
empty-handed — /emp tee han did/, adj. 1. having nothing in the hands, as in doing no work: While we were carrying out the luggage, he stood by empty handed. 2. having gained nothing: to return from a quest empty handed. 3. bringing no gift, donation, etc.:… … Universalium
empty-handed — ADJ: ADJ after v If you come away from somewhere empty handed, you have failed to get what you wanted. Delegates from the warring sides held a new round of peace talks but went away empty handed... Shirley returned home empty handed from her… … English dictionary
empty-handed — adjective a) Having nothing to give I felt bad having shown up to the baby shower empty handed. b) Having given or received nothing I was supposed to clean up the trash out back, but I returned empty handed … Wiktionary
empty-handed — emp|ty hand|ed [ ,empti hændəd ] adjective 1. ) without getting anything for your effort: The thieves fled empty handed. 2. ) without bringing a present for someone: You can t go to the party empty handed … Usage of the words and phrases in modern English
empty-handed — UK [ˌemptɪ ˈhændɪd] / US [ˌemptɪ ˈhændəd] adjective 1) without getting anything for your effort The thieves fled empty handed. 2) without bringing a present for someone You can t go to the party empty handed … English dictionary
empty-handed — adjective 1. having acquired or gained nothing the returned from the negotiations empty handed • Syn: ↑unrewarded • Similar to: ↑unsuccessful 2. carrying nothing in the hands • Similar to: ↑empty … Useful english dictionary
