empty

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   holding or containing nothing

   an empty glass

2. 2
   adj

   emptied of emotion

   After the violent argument the siblings felt empty.

3. 3
   adj

   needing nourishment

   after skipped lunch the men were empty by suppertime

4. 4
   adj

   devoid of significance or point

   empty promises

5. 5
   adj

   Devoid of content; containing nothing or nobody; vacant.

   an empty purse

6. 6
   adj

   Free; clear; devoid; often with of.

   And I ſhal finde you emptie of that fault, Right ioyfull of your reformation.

7. 7
   adj

   Having nothing to carry, emptyhanded; unburdened.

   I hope our Ladies treaſure and our owne, May ſerue for ranſome to our liberties: Returne our Mules and emptie Camels backe, That we may trauell into Siria, […]

8. 8
   adj

   Destitute of effect, sincerity, or sense; said of language.

   empty words, or threats

Etymology

From Middle English emty, amty, from Old English ǣmtiġ, ǣmettiġ (“vacant, empty, free, idle, unmarried”, literally “without must or obligation, leisurely”), from Proto-Germanic *uz- (“out”) + Proto-Germanic *mōtijô, *mōtô (“must, obligation, need”), *mōtiþô (“ability, accommodation”), from Proto-Indo-European *med- (“measure; to acquire, possess, be in command”). Related to Old English ġeǣmtigian (“to empty”), ǣmetta (“leisure”), mōtan (“can, to be allowed”). More at mote, meet. The interconsonantal excrescent p is a euphonic insertion dating from Middle English.