emptyhanded

comparative more emptyhanded · superlative most emptyhanded · alternative empty-handed

1. With nothing in one's hands.

   Near-synonyms: unburdened, unencumbered, unladen

   1 more example

   If, for example, Oswald was not "emptyhanded" but, as the original reports had it, had been drinking a Coca-Cola — there was a vending machine in the lunchroom where the encounter occurred — then he almost certainly could not have left the sixth-floor window after firing the shots, hid the rifle on the sixth floor, run down to the second floor, entered the lunchroom, operated the machine, ...

   1968, Mark Lane, A Citizen's Dissent: Mark Lane Replies, page 90

   Synonyms: unburdened, unencumbered, unladen · Antonyms: full-handed

2. Impoverished; having no money or resources.

   1 more example

   As he walked about in the village, Isaac saw those inhabitants who had come to the Land emptyhanded and now own fields and vineyards and houses full of good things, not by virtue of observing the Torah and pious deeds, for the Biluim were free thinkers and their feet too are on the ground, but because they're Russians and I'm from Galicia, and even the one small village the Galicians put up fell to rack and ruin.

   2002, S. Y. Agnon, Only Yesterday, →ISBN, page 62

   Synonyms: almsless, arm, badly off, bankrupt, beggared, beggarly, boracic, broke · Antonyms: full-handed

3. Having nothing to offer.

   I come to this conference bearing neither a new slogan nor a basket full of gifts. But I do not come emptyhanded. I come with the promise of the Government and people of the United States to work with you...

   1977, The Department of State Bulletin, page 576

   Antonyms: full-handed

4. Having received or acquired nothing.

   Returning "emptyhanded" doesn't always mean that you didn't get what you set out for.

   1984, Field & Stream - Volume 89, page 26

   2 more examples

   "Have you got anything, my dear? If you are emptyhanded, go emptyhanded." But the shopper said, "Sisters, stop teasing him, for by God, he served me well today; no one else would have been as patient with me. Whatever his share will come to, I shall pay for him myself.

   1992, Husain Haddawy, Muhsin Mahdi, Mahdi Mushin, The Arabian Nights, →ISBN, page 71

   Antar neglected his boat and his nets for three days on end, and when, on the entreaties of his wife and children, he brought himself to go back to sea, he came back in the evening emptyhanded.

   1987, Michel Tournier, The Golden Droplet, page 185

5. Having nothing to offer; unable to give what was promised.

   ...he promised to get concessions on container handling, and he cannot go to the dockers emptyhanded.

   1972, The Economist - Volume 244, page 59

   1 more example

   We want to make them aware of all of the programs so these people don't go home emptyhanded. Many times they go home emptyhanded because the person has been trained with the tunnel vision where he is thinking only of the one program and is not aware of the other programs that exist, and this is what we have been doing this last year is trying to cross train our people and at least if nothing else have some communication.

   1970, United States Congress House Select Committee on Small Business, Organization and Operation of the Small Business Administration (1970), page 75

6. Unarmed.

   ...for he has come on an ambassage and he has come emptyhanded (not armed).

   1999, Hephzibah Jesudasan, G. John Samuel, P. Thiagarajan, Count-down from Solomon, Or, The Tamils Down the Ages Through Their Literature, →ISBN, page 211