Dictionary

emptyhanded en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

From empty + handed.

Meanings

1. With nothing in one's hands.
   • If, for example, Oswald was not "emptyhanded" but, as the original reports had it, had been drinking a Coca-Cola — there was a vending machine in the lunchroom where the encounter occurred — then he almost certainly could not have left the sixth-floor window after firing the shots, hid the rifle on the sixth floor, run down to the second floor, entered the lunchroom, operated the machine, ... 1968, Mark Lane, A Citizen's Dissent: Mark Lane Replies, page 90:
   • Near-synonyms: unburdened, unencumbered, unladen
2. Impoverished; having no money or resources.
   • As he walked about in the village, Isaac saw those inhabitants who had come to the Land emptyhanded and now own fields and vineyards and houses full of good things, not by virtue of observing the Torah and pious deeds, for the Biluim were free thinkers and their feet too are on the ground, but because they're Russians and I'm from Galicia, and even the one small village the Galicians put up fell to rack and ruin. 2002, S. Y. Agnon, Only Yesterday, →ISBN, page 62:
3. Having nothing to offer.
   • I come to this conference bearing neither a new slogan nor a basket full of gifts. But I do not come emptyhanded. I come with the promise of the Government and people of the United States to work with you... 1977, The Department of State Bulletin, page 576:
4. Having received or acquired nothing.
   • "Have you got anything, my dear? If you are emptyhanded, go emptyhanded." But the shopper said, "Sisters, stop teasing him, for by God, he served me well today; no one else would have been as patient with me. Whatever his share will come to, I shall pay for him myself. 1992, Husain Haddawy, Muhsin Mahdi, Mahdi Mushin, The Arabian Nights, →ISBN, page 71:
   • Returning "emptyhanded" doesn't always mean that you didn't get what you set out for. 1984, Field & Stream - Volume 89, page 26:
   • Antar neglected his boat and his nets for three days on end, and when, on the entreaties of his wife and children, he brought himself to go back to sea, he came back in the evening emptyhanded. 1987, Michel Tournier, The Golden Droplet, page 185:
5. Having nothing to offer; unable to give what was promised.
   • ...he promised to get concessions on container handling, and he cannot go to the dockers emptyhanded. 1972, The Economist - Volume 244, page 59:
   • We want to make them aware of all of the programs so these people don't go home emptyhanded. Many times they go home emptyhanded because the person has been trained with the tunnel vision where he is thinking only of the one program and is not aware of the other programs that exist, and this is what we have been doing this last year is trying to cross train our people and at least if nothing else have some communication. 1970, United States Congress House Select Committee on Small Business, Organization and Operation of the Small Business Administration (1970), page 75:
6. Unarmed.
   • ...for he has come on an ambassage and he has come emptyhanded (not armed). 1999, Hephzibah Jesudasan, G. John Samuel, P. Thiagarajan, Count-down from Solomon, Or, The Tamils Down the Ages Through Their Literature, →ISBN, page 211:

Forms

Antonyms

full-handed · full-handed · full-handed

Deriveds

emptyhandedness · emptyhandedly

Relateds

empty as a pauper's purse · empty-headed · emptyheaded · running on empty

Synonyms

needy · farthingless · pok kai · threadbare · unencumbered · arm · poor as Job · flat · oofless · poor as a church mouse · impoverished · feeling the pinch · pauperized · unwealthy · unburdened · empty-handed · penniless · in need · goodless · beggared · moneyless · shillingless · stony-broke · hard up · down and out · poor · poverty-stricken · broker than the Ten Commandments · groatless · pinched · stuck · insolvent · depauperate · indigent · stone-broke · badly off · dirt poor · beggarly · down on one's luck · strapped · disadvantaged · impecunious · poor as a rat · poverty-ridden · lower-class · skint · unladen · broke · down on one's uppers · wealthless · necessitous · down at heel · bankrupt · broken · almsless · destitute · possessionless · boracic · penurious

Translations (50)

pl odejść z pustymi rękami (having nothing to offer) · fa دست خالی (having nothing to give) · vi tay không (having nothing to give) · fr les mains vides (having nothing to give) · vi trắng tay (having nothing to give) · mi te rae anake (having nothing to give) · es con las manos vacías (having nothing to give) · ang īdelhende (having given or received nothing) · de mit leeren Händen (having given or received nothing) · vi tay trắng (having nothing to give) · mi tahakore (having nothing to offer) · hy դատարկաձեռն (having nothing to give) · ru с пусты́ми рука́ми (having given or received nothing) · es con las manos vacías (having given or received nothing) · pl z pustymi rękami (having nothing to give) · el με άδεια χέρια (having given or received nothing) · nb tomhendt (having given or received nothing) · fi tyhjin toimin (having given or received nothing) · sv tomhänt (having nothing to give) · cmn 白手 (having nothing to give) · de mit leeren Händen (having nothing to give) · lv tukšā (having given or received nothing) · it a mani vuote (having nothing to give) · pt de mãos abanando (having nothing to give) · nb tomhendt (having nothing to give) · ja 手ぶらで (having nothing to give) · fi tyhjin käsin (having nothing to give) · ang īdelhende (having nothing to give) · sv tomhänt (having given or received nothing) · mi ngere (having nothing to offer) · hy դատարկաձեռն (having given or received nothing) · el με άδεια χέρια (having nothing to give) · pt de mãos vazias (having given or received nothing) · fr bredouille (having given or received nothing) · lv tukšā (having nothing to give) · pt de mãos abanando (having given or received nothing) · fa دست خالی (having given or received nothing) · it con le pive nel sacco (having given or received nothing) · ms tangan kosong (having given or received nothing) · lv bešā (having nothing to give) · ru несо́лоно хлеба́вши (having given or received nothing) · ru с пусты́ми рука́ми (having nothing to give) · pt de mãos vazias (having nothing to give) · ang īdelhende (having nothing to offer) · it inerme (having nothing to give) · nb tomhendt (having nothing to offer) · lv bešā (having given or received nothing) · cmn 空手 (having nothing to give) · hi छूछा हाथ (having nothing to give) · pt de mãos a abanar (having given or received nothing)