Emptyhandedness

Pronunciation varies by accent · noun

Meaning

The state of having nothing in one's hands..

Definitions by Sense

1. The state of having nothing in one's hands.
2. Poverty or lack of possessions and resources.
3. Lack of anything to offer
4. The lack of something one sought to acquire.
5. Failure to accomplish a task or mission.
6. Lack of a weapon; the state of being unarmed.

Example Sentences

Mr. Basehart offers it again, "Here, cousin," and dances away again, leaving Bolingbroke accused by his own emptyhandedness.

Now on account of my emptyhandedness and want of means, I am unable to provide for the law charges and remuneration of attorneys and counsel and such matters and without appointing a protector over me, it is impossible to meet the costs and charges of the suits, and of the attorneys and counsel an my personal expense, and rent of the house which I now occupy, and the wages of servants &c.

Oh, the beauty and heavenliness of a home where the empty-handed guest is not the less but the more welcome for his emptyhandedness!

Talk with those here who vainly seek work, who suffer daily the humiliation of emptyhandedness.

And the clanging call of the general alarm rasped you to battle stations, night and day, from sleep and from meals, always with the same emptyhandedness of failure in the end.

...Mills had first spoken his gibberish of good intention, always careful, though they did not travel in armor, to lean down from their mounts to shake hands in the trendy new symbol of emptyhandedness and unarmedness that they'd picked up on their travels.

Synonyms for emptyhandedness

Antonyms for emptyhandedness

Related Words

Word Forms

• empty-handedness

Usage Notes

Choose a synonym only when it preserves the intended meaning, tone, and grammar of the full sentence.

Practice and Learn More

Frequently Asked Questions