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Empty vs Shallow - What's the difference?

empty | shallow |

In obsolete terms the difference between empty and shallow

is that empty is producing nothing; unfruitful; said of a plant or tree while shallow is not deep in tone.

As adjectives the difference between empty and shallow

is that empty is devoid of content; containing nothing or nobody; vacant while shallow is having little depth; significantly less deep than wide.

As verbs the difference between empty and shallow

is that empty is to make empty; to void; to remove the contents of while shallow is to make or become less deep.

As nouns the difference between empty and shallow

is that empty is a container, especially a bottle, whose contents have been used up, leaving it empty while shallow is a shallow portion of an otherwise deep body of water.

empty

English

Adjective

(er)
  • Devoid of content; containing nothing or nobody; vacant.
  • an empty''' purse; an '''empty''' jug; an '''empty stomach
  • * {{quote-news
  • , year=2011 , date=October 23 , author=Phil McNulty , title=Man Utd 1 - 6 Man City , work=BBC Sport citation , page= , passage=United's stature is such that one result must not bring the immediate announcement of a shift in the balance of power in Manchester - but the swathes of empty seats around Old Trafford and the wave of attacks pouring towards David de Gea's goal in the second half emphasised that City quite simply have greater firepower and talent in their squad at present.}}
  • (computing, programming) Containing no elements (as of a string or array), opposed to being null (having no valid value).
  • (obsolete) Free; clear; devoid; often with of .
  • * Milton
  • that fair female troop empty of all good
  • * Shakespeare
  • I shall find you empty of that fault.
  • Having nothing to carry; unburdened.
  • * Shakespeare
  • an empty messenger
  • * Bible, Exodus iii. 21
  • When ye go ye shall not go empty .
  • Destitute of effect, sincerity, or sense; said of language.
  • empty words, or threats
  • * Cibber
  • Words are but empty thanks.
  • Unable to satisfy; hollow; vain.
  • empty pleasures
  • * Alexander Pope
  • pleas'd in the silent shade with empty praise
  • Destitute of reality, or real existence; unsubstantial.
  • empty dreams
  • (obsolete) Producing nothing; unfruitful; said of a plant or tree.
  • an empty vine
  • * Bible, Genesis xli. 27
  • seven empty ears blasted with the east wind
  • Destitute of, or lacking, sense, knowledge, or courtesy.
  • empty''' brains; an '''empty coxcomb
  • * Shakespeare
  • that in civility thou seem'st so empty

    Synonyms

    * (devoid of content) unoccupied, clear, , toom, clean

    Antonyms

    * full

    Derived terms

    * empty-handed * emptiness * empty product * empty set * empty sum

    Verb

  • (ergative) To make empty; to void; to remove the contents of.
  • to empty a well or a cistern
    The cinema emptied quickly after the end of the film.
  • * Bible, Eccl. xi. 3
  • The clouds empty themselves upon the earth.

    Antonyms

    * fill

    Derived terms

    * empty the tank

    Noun

    (empties)
  • A container, especially a bottle, whose contents have been used up, leaving it empty.
  • Put the empties out to be recycled.

    Derived terms

    * emptiness * run on empty

    shallow

    English

    Adjective

    (er)
  • Having little depth; significantly less deep than wide.
  • This crater is relatively shallow .
    Saute the onions in a shallow pan.
  • Extending not far downward.
  • The water is shallow here.
  • Concerned mainly with superficial matters.
  • It was a glamorous but shallow lifestyle.
  • Lacking interest or substance.
  • The acting is good, but the characters are shallow .
  • Not intellectually deep; not penetrating deeply; simple; not wise or knowing.
  • shallow learning
  • * Francis Bacon
  • The king was neither so shallow , nor so ill advertised, as not to perceive the intention of the French king.
  • (obsolete) Not deep in tone.
  • * Francis Bacon
  • the sound perfecter and not so shallow and jarring
  • (tennis) Not far forward, close to the net
  • * {{quote-news
  • , year=2012 , date=June 28 , author=Jamie Jackson , title=Wimbledon 2012: Lukas Rosol shocked by miracle win over Rafael Nadal , work=the Guardian citation , page= , passage=Rosol spurned the chance to finish off a shallow second serve by spooning into the net, and a wild forehand took the set to 5-4, with the native of Prerov required to hold his serve for victory.}}

    Antonyms

    * deep

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A shallow portion of an otherwise deep body of water.
  • The ship ran aground in an unexpected shallow .
  • * Francis Bacon
  • A swift stream is not heard in the channel, but upon shallows of gravel.
  • * Dryden
  • dashed on the shallows of the moving sand
  • A fish, the rudd.
  • Usage notes

    * Usually used in the plural form.

    See also

    * shoal * sandbar * sandbank

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To make or become less deep
  • * {{quote-journal, 2009, date=February 6, Andrew Z. Krug et al., Signature of the End-Cretaceous Mass Extinction in the Modern Biota, Science citation
  • , passage=The shallowing of Cenozoic age-frequency curves from tropics to poles thus appears to reflect the decreasing probability for genera to reach and remain established in progressively higher latitudes ( 9 ). }}

    Anagrams

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