drawn a blank
Came up empty
To draw a blank is to fail to find or remember something you're looking for.
The phrase comes from lotteries where drawing a blank ticket meant winning nothing.
Now it describes mental retrieval failure: I tried to remember her name but drew a blank.
It can also mean getting no results from a search: Police drew a blank on the suspect's whereabouts.
- tip of tongueEdge of speech organ
- memory lapseBrief forgetting episode
- unsuccessfulNot achieving desired outcome
- no diceCasual refusal phrase
- stumpedUnable to solve
forgetfulness · attempt · brain fog · mental block · senior moment · amnesia · frustration · lost cause · bewilderment · futile · fruitless · lapse · dead end · perplexed · at a loss · confusion · recollection · inconclusive