Fill in the blanks

Definition

To provide missing information or complete an incomplete understanding by adding the necessary details.

Etymology

This phrase comes directly from educational testing, where students literally fill in blank spaces in sentences or forms. First used in this literal sense in the early 20th century, it quickly developed metaphorical applications for completing any kind of missing information or understanding.

Kelly Says

The phrase taps into our fundamental discomfort with incomplete information - those mental 'blanks' create cognitive tension that demands resolution. It's why fill-in-the-blank exercises work so well pedagogically, and why we use this phrase when we're trying to complete our understanding of complex situations.

Translations

AMአማርኛ
ባለበት እንደርታለት
balebet endertalet
ARالعربية
ملء الفراغات
malʾ al-farāḡāt
BNবাংলা
খালি জায়গা পূরণ করা
khālī jāyagā pūraṇa karā
CACatalà
omplir els buits
ohm-plee-elz BWEETs
CSČeština
vyplnit prázdná místa
vih-plnee-t prahz-dnah MEE-stsah
DADansk
udfylde huller
oo-deh-FEEL-deh hoo-lehr
DEDeutsch
Lücken füllen
LOO-ken FOO-len
ELΕλληνικά
συμπλήρωση κενών
see-mpleh-ROH-see keh-NOH-n
ESEspañol
rellenar los espacios
reh-yeh-NAHR lohs eh-SPEE-see-ohs
FAفارسی
پر کردن جای خالی
por kardan jā-ye khālī
FISuomi
täyttää tyhjät kohdat
TAY-ttah TYH-jah KOH-dah
FRFrançais
compléter les blancs
kohm-pleh-tay leh blahn
GUGU
ખાલી જગ્યા ભરવી
khālī jagyā bharavī
HAHA
cika bakin ajiye
chee-kah bah-keen ah-jee-yeh
HEעברית
למלא ריק
lah-meh-LEH REEK
HIहिन्दी
खाली स्थान भरना
khālī sthān bharanā
HUMagyar
kitöltés
kee-tohlt
IDBahasa Indonesia
mengisi ruang kosong
meh-NGEE-see ROH-ahng koh-sohng
IGIG
imefu ihe ndị ọzọ
ee-meh-foo ee-heh ndee oh-zoh
ITItaliano
compilare gli spazi
kohm-pee-LAH-reh leh SPAH-zee
JA日本語
空欄を埋める
kūran o umeru
KKKK
бос жерді толтыру
bos jerdı toltyru
KMKM
បំពេញលំនាំ
bom pehn lom nahm
KO한국어
빈칸을 채우다
bin-kaneul chae-uda
MRMR
रिक्त जागा भरणे
rikt jāgā bharṇe
MSBahasa Melayu
mengisi ruang kosong
meh-NGEE-see ROH-ahng koh-sohng
MYမြန်မာ
အချိန်ပေးခြင်း
ahkyin pay hkyin
NLNederlands
invullen
in-voo-len
NONorsk
fylle inn huller
FEE-leh inn HOO-lehr
PAPA
ਖਾਲੀ ਥਾਂ ਭਰਨਾ
khālī thāṇ bharanā
PLPolski
wypełnić puste miejsca
vih-peh-NEE-tch poo-steh MEE-eh-stsah
PTPortuguês
preencher os espaços
preh-shehn ohs eh-SPEE-sohs
RORomână
umple golurile
oom-pleh goh-loo-reh-leh
RUРусский
заполнить пробелы
zah-poh-NEET pah-BEH-lee
SVSvenska
fylla i luckor
FEE-yah ee LOO-kohr
SWKiswahili
kujaza nafasi
koo-jah-zah NAH-fah-see
TAதமிழ்
வெற்றிடங்களை நிரப்பு
veṟṟiṭaṅkaḷai nirappu
TEతెలుగు
ఖాళీ స్థలాలను పూరించు
khāḷī sthalālanu pūriṁcu
THไทย
เติมช่องว่าง
dtim chong wahng
TLTL
pumuno sa mga bakante
poo-moo-noh sah mng bah-KAHN-teh
TRTürkçe
boşlukları doldurmak
boh-shloo-kah-ruh doh-tohr-mahk
UKУкраїнська
заповнити пробіли
zah-poh-NEE-tee pah-BEH-lee
URاردو
خالی جگہوں کو پُر کرنا
khālī jagahōṁ kō pur karnā
VITiếng Việt
điền vào chỗ trống
deen vao choh trohng
YOYO
pọ̀ si
poh see
ZH中文
填空
tián kòng
ZUZU
phinda indawo
pee-n-dah in-dah-woh

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