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draw a blank

[/drɔː ə blæŋk/]
verb phrase
ficar em branco
1. To fail to remember something; to have no memory or knowledge of something
When the teacher asked me about the capital of Brazil, I drew a blank.
Quando o professor me perguntou sobre a capital do Brasil, fiquei em branco.
2. To fail to get a response or result; to be unsuccessful in obtaining information
The detective drew a blank when questioning the witness.
O detetive não conseguiu nenhuma informação útil ao interrogar a testemunha.
NYC Slang
draw a blank (universal usage, not NYC-specific)
Synonyms
forgetlose one's memorygo blankhave a mental block
Antonyms
rememberrecallrecollect

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
ficar em branco
most common expression
General Brazilian
não lembrar
alternative phrasing
Portugal
ficar em branco
commonly used
Portugal
não conseguir lembrar-se
alternative phrasing

Related Idioms & Phrases

go blank
have a mental block
lose one's train of thought
come up empty
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