Draw a blank
Meaning
To fail to recall information or to find no answer when trying to remember something.
Origin
In early lotteries, participants would often literally "draw" their ticket from a drum or basket. If the ticket drawn was a "blank," it meant they had won nothing at all—an empty result. This literal act of pulling an unnumbered, worthless ticket, leading to an utterly empty outcome, became a vivid metaphor for mental failure. The disappointment of drawing a blank in a game of chance quickly translated into the frustrating experience of a mind that comes up empty when trying to recall information or find an answer.
Examples
- When the interviewer asked about my previous job's responsibilities, I suddenly drew a blank.
- I tried to remember the name of the movie, but I completely drew a blank.