run empty; deadhead; space out
Meanings
2 senses · 6 examplesverb
to run empty (of vehicles, ships, etc.); to deadhead
technicalTechnical term in transportation and logistics. Refers to the inefficient situation where a vehicle travels without passengers or cargo, resulting in lost revenue and wasted fuel.
Do a good job with dispatching to avoid vehicles running empty.
This truck delivered goods to the suburbs and then returned to the city empty.
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The driver was unwilling to drive empty, so he accepted an order along the way.
verb
to space out; to zone out; to empty one's mind
informalOriginally from meditation contexts, now widely used colloquially to describe the state of letting one's mind go blank or staring blankly into space. Particularly common in Taiwanese Mandarin and among younger speakers.
Work is too tiring; I want to zone out for a bit.
He sat by the sea spacing out, thinking about nothing.
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Sometimes emptying your mind is also a form of rest.