Idiom Topics
The Ubiquitous Essentials
10- On the other hand
- At the end of the day
- In the long run
- Bear in mind
- A piece of cake
- Keep an eye on
- Out of the blue
- Rule of thumb
- So far, so good
- Behind the scenes
Everyday Casual & Workplace
10- Under the weather
- Call it a day
- Up in the air
- Wrap your head around
- Break the ice
- Get out of hand
- Go the extra mile
- Touch base
- Hit the nail on the head
- Cut corners
Problem Solving & Interaction
10- See eye to eye
- Read between the lines
- Take it with a grain of salt
- Get the hang of it
- Give the benefit of the doubt
- The elephant in the room
- Hit the ground running
- Play it by ear
- Bite the bullet
- Sit on the fence
Decisions & Perspectives
9- Jump on the bandwagon
- Cross that bridge when we come to it
- The best of both worlds
- A blessing in disguise
- Once in a blue moon
- Pull someone's leg
- Miss the boat
- Better late than never
- Get your act together
Colorful & Traditional
10- Spill the beans
- Let the cat out of the bag
- Bite off more than you can chew
- Go back to the drawing board
- Barking up the wrong tree
- Actions speak louder than words
- A penny for your thoughts
- Break a leg
- Hit the sack
- Beat around the bush
Academic & Formal Discourse
10- Bear fruit
- Pave the way
- Shed light on
- Go hand in hand
- Tip the scales
- Fly in the face of
- Bring to the table
- Turn a blind eye
- Draw a blank
- State of the art
Emotions & Reactions
10- Over the moon
- Down in the dumps
- On edge
- Blow off steam
- Keep your cool
- Drive someone up the wall
- On cloud nine
- A weight off my shoulders
- At your wits' end
- Thrilled to bits
Effort, Success, & Failure
10- Start from scratch
- Pass with flying colors
- Fall flat
- Go down the drain
- Keep your head above water
- Pay off
- Throw in the towel
- Make headway
- Uphill battle
- Back to square one
Time, Speed, & Urgency
10- Beat the clock
- At the eleventh hour
- Around the clock
- In the nick of time
- Drag your feet
- Time flies
- Make up for lost time
- Call time on
- Ahead of the curve
- On the spur of the moment
Resources, Money, & Value
10- Make ends meet
- Foot the bill
- Break the bank
- Tighten your belt
- Bang for your buck
- A drop in the ocean
- Make a killing
- On a shoestring budget
- Worth your weight in gold
- Pay top dollar
Draw a blank
Learn the meaning, origin, and usage of the idiom "Draw a blank" with five example sentences across different contexts. This idiom is part of ourAcademic & Formal Discourse collection for PTE and IELTS preparation.
Draw a blank
To fail to recall a memory, find an answer, or get a successful result when trying to do so.
History & Origin
This idiom originates from the early lottery systems in 16th-century Tudor England, specifically a major lottery established by Queen Elizabeth I in 1567. The lottery drum contained two types of tickets: those with prizes written on them and those left completely empty, known as blanks. If a participant's name was drawn alongside an empty ticket, they literally drew a blank, meaning they won nothing and received no reward.
Examples
I tried to recall the client's specific software requirements during the morning briefing, but I completely drew a blank.
I ran into our old high school neighbor at the grocery store yesterday, but I drew a blank on his name and had to awkwardly say hello.
When researchers attempted to locate primary sources verifying the local myth, they drew a blank, suggesting the story was entirely fabricated.
Investigators searching the suspect's abandoned vehicle for fingerprints have so far drawn a blank, leaving them without any new leads.
As I stood before the committee to deliver my concluding remarks, the immense pressure caused me to momentarily draw a blank.
Quiz
Which of the following sentences uses the idiom correctly?
A. Can you please draw a blank on this canvas using your oil paints so we can hang it in the living room?
B. The detective interrogated three separate witnesses about the getaway car, but he drew a blank when they all claimed they didn't see anything.
C. After studying diligently for three weeks, Sarah drew a blank and scored a perfect mark on her final chemistry examination.
D. Make sure you draw a blank on the application form with a blue pen so the bank can process your loan quickly.