1. 空的　 containing nothing
2. 空闲的，空虚的，寂寥的　 without sense or purpose; meaningless, unreal, or insincere

　almost ～　几乎没有
　nearly ～　几乎没有
　feel ～　感觉空虚
　～ of　缺乏，缺少，没有
　～ of meaning　毫无意义的

　We returned the empty bottles to the shop.　我们把空瓶子还给了商店。
　The baby was sucking away at the empty feeding-bottle.　那个孩子正在吮吸着空奶瓶。
　The dog overturned his empty dish to show that he was hungry.　狗把它的空盘子翻了过来，说明它饿了。
　Watch me pitch this empty cigarette packet into the basket from across the room.　瞧我把这空烟盒扔进房间那头的纸篓里。
　I prepared to gamble on the possibility of finding empty seats at the theatre.　剧院中可能会找到空位，我准备去碰碰运气。
　The empty house was barred for the door and windows.　那间空房子的门窗都被关死了。
　Fear came upon him as he stood in the empty house.　站在空荡荡的房子里，他感到一阵恐惧袭上心头。
　The windows had been boarded and nailed up to prevent thieves from entering the empty house.　窗户上钉上了木板，以防小偷进入这所空房。
　The smell of her perfume lingered in the empty house.　空屋里仍然飘溢着她的香水味。
　The empty room echoed.　空屋发出回响。
　Many ministers are becoming increasingly worried about preaching to empty churches.　许多牧师越来越担心会向空教堂布道了。
　You don't need to spend money on special things, you can project the picture onto an empty white wall just as effectively.　你不必花钱买什么特殊器材也可以同样有效地把画面投影在一面空白墙上。
　Our voices echoed in the empty valley.　我们的声音在空谷中回响。
　The medicine must be taken on an empty stomach.　这药必须空腹服。
　Often he had to work on an empty stomach.　他常常不得不空着肚子去上班。
　Her protest was an empty gesture, she knew it would have no effect.　她的抗议只是做做样子，她知道那起不了什么作用。
　He didn't want to live an empty life.　他不想过一种空虚的生活。
　An empty promise is insincere.　空头承诺是无诚意的。

　The cistern is empty but soon fills again.　贮水器里现在没水，但不久就会储满水的。
　The cinema was half empty.　影院里空着一半座位。
　The whole area has been mined out, the miners have left and the town is empty, since it depended on the mining industry.　那个镇靠矿业生存，所以当矿被开采完时，矿工们离开后，镇上也就空了。
　The purse is empty of its contents.　钱包业已空无分文。
　The room is practically empty of furniture.　这房间可以说什么家具也没有。
　His life is empty of happiness.　他的生活缺少幸福。
　I never feel empty.　我从未感到空虚。
　My life feels empty now because the children have left home.　因为孩子们都离开了家，我觉得生活空虚。

　I went into his room only to find his bed empty.　我走进他的房间发现他床上没有人。
　I saw the box empty.　我看到这盒子是空的。

 ♣ empty, blank
　参见blank条。
 ♣ empty, vacant, void
　这组词的共同意思是“空的”。其区别在于：
1. empty强调什么也没有，而vacant则强调没人占用。一个房间如果没有人住，那是vacant；如果连家具也没有，那就是empty.
2. void和vacant意思相近，均表示“没有的”。void常用于法律，表示“无效的”。例如：
　My father used to gaze into the vacant space.　我父亲从前经常凝视那茫茫的太空。
　The desert stretching away before the traveller seemed frighteningly void.　展现在这位旅行者眼前一望无际的大沙漠空旷得令人生畏。
　The agreement, not having been signed, was void.　这份协议没有签字，是无效的。
3. empty喻指没有意义、没有价值和内容；vacant喻指空缺或空虚麻木；void喻指因缺乏内容而变得空洞。例如：
　We hate people indulging in empty talk.　我们讨厌人们一味空谈。
　He looks rather vacant.　他看上去似乎心不在焉。
　His style is void of affectation.　他的文体没有矫揉造作。
4. empty是普通用语，而vacant是较正式用语， vacant的应用范围不如empty广泛。

1. 这个座位是空的。
　［误］ This seat is empty.
　［正］ This seat is not occupied.
　［正］ This seat is not reserved.
　［正］ This seat is not taken.
　［析］ empty译为“空的”是表示里面没有东西，指物理空间，而本句显然是指“没人占用”，故使用be occupied〔reserved, taken〕。
2. 夜晚，街上空空荡荡，没有车辆。
　［误］ The streets were empty with vehicles at night.
　［正］ The streets were empty of vehicles at night.
　［析］ empty和介词of构成形容词短语，表示“没有…”或“缺乏…”，介词of不能改成with.

1. vt. & vi.变空；流空　 become empty; flow out
2. vt.使空；倒空　 make empty; remove what is inside sth

　～ completely　完全地倒掉
　～ desperately　绝望地流空
　～ gradually　逐渐地倒空
　～ hopelessly　无望地流空
　～ obviously　完全地倒掉
　～ quickly　迅速倒掉
　～ rapidly　迅速地倒掉
　～ slowly　慢慢地倒掉
　～ out　倒光
　～ from　倒空
　～ in　流入
　～ into　涌上
　～ of　从…里都拿出来
　～ on〔upon〕　倒在
　～ out of　倒出来

　The tank gradually emptied.　蓄水池的水渐渐流空了。
　This sticky liquid empties slowly.　这种黏液要好一会儿才能流空。
　The streets began to empty after midnight.　午夜过后街上行人开始稀少了。
　The theatre emptied rapidly after the show.　演出结束后，剧场里的人很快就走光了。
　The streets soon emptied when the rain began.　下雨时，街上立即空无一人。
　He emptied the box.　他把箱子倒空了。
　Vargas emptied his tool bag.　瓦格斯腾出自己的工具袋。
　He emptied his glass.　他把玻璃杯倒空了。
　He stood up and emptied his glass.　他站起身来，干了一杯。
　They emptied the bottle.　他们喝干了瓶里的酒。
　She sipped from her glass while the professor emptied it.　她接过酒杯喝了一点，教授却一饮而尽。
　Be frank and empty the bag.　不要掩饰，把事情统统说出来。
　The room was emptied very quickly.　房间很快就腾空了。
　The dustbin must be emptied every day.　垃圾箱必须每天清除。
　No waste or garbage is to be emptied on highways.　废物和垃圾不准倒在公路上。

 ♣ empty into　(v.+prep.)
　〔说明〕 empty into通常不用于进行体，也不用于被动结构。
1. 把（某容器）中之物全部倒进（另一容器） pour (sth or the contents of sth) into (another container)
　Empty the dirty water into the bowl.　把脏水倒在碗里。
　She emptied more than half the rice into his bowl.　她把大半碗米饭拨到他的碗里。
　Empty your bag into your hand to see if you can find the key.　把包里的东西都倒在你手里，看看是否能找到钥匙。
2. 流入… flow into
　All the rivers on the east side of England empty into the North Sea.　英格兰东部的河流都流入北海。
　Many rivers in Asia empty itself into the Pacific.　亚洲许多河流流入太平洋。
　The stream empties itself into the river.　这条小溪流入大河。
　This river empties itself into the ocean many miles away.　这条河流入数英里外的海洋里。
 ♣ empty onto　(v.+prep.)
　（全部）倒在…上　pour sth onto sth
　He emptied the bag of books onto the floor.　他把包里的书倒在地板上。
　The rubbish was emptied onto the ground.　垃圾倾倒在地上。
　No waste or garbage is to be emptied onto highways.　废物和垃圾不准倒在公路上。
 ♣ empty out　(v.+adv.)
　（使）倒空，（使）倒光，排空　be emptied completely; throw away the contents(of a container)
　The tank slowly emptied out.　油罐慢慢倒空。
　Open the pipe so that the water can empty out.　把管子打开，水就可以流光。
　Empty your pockets out, we'll see if you have any money.　把衣袋里的东西都掏出来，我们要看看你是否有钱。
　I've asked the children to empty out their drawers this weekend.　我已让孩子们在本周末把抽屉腾空。
　When you've emptied the water out, please clean the bucket.　把水倒光后，清洗一下水桶。

　那男孩把衣袋中的东西全都掏出来了。
　［误］ The boy emptied his pockets their contents.
　［正］ The boy emptied his pockets of their contents.
　他把瓶子里的水倒了，然后装上啤酒。
　［误］ He emptied the bottle water and then filled it with beer.
　［正］ He emptied the bottle of water and then filled it with beer.
　［析］ empty后不能跟双宾语，当表示“使…失去…”“把…倒空”等意思时，要用empty...of...结构。

　［同义词］ adj. hollow, unfilled, aimless, meaningless, vain v. clear, drain, dump
　［反义词］ adj. crammed, full, jammed, packed, occupied, inhabited v. fill
　［词源］　古英语æmetting<æmetta（未占用的，闲暇的）