Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
Deed \Deed\, n. [AS. d?d; akin to OS. d[=a]d, D. & Dan. daad, G.
thai, Sw. d[*a]d, Goth. d?ds; fr. the root of do. See {Do},
v. t.]
1. That which is done or effected by a responsible agent; an
act; an action; a thing done; -- a word of extensive
application, including, whatever is done, good or bad,
great or small.
And Joseph said to them, What deed is this which ye
have done? --Gen. xliv.
15.
We receive the due reward of our deeds. --Luke
xxiii. 41.
Would serve his kind in deed and word. --Tennyson.
2. Illustrious act; achievement; exploit. ``Knightly deeds.''
--Spenser.
Whose deeds some nobler poem shall adorn. --Dryden.
3. Power of action; agency; efficiency. [Obs.]
To be, both will and deed, created free. --Milton.
4. Fact; reality; -- whence we have indeed.
5. (Law) A sealed instrument in writing, on paper or
parchment, duly executed and delivered, containing some
transfer, bargain, or contract.
Note: The term is generally applied to conveyances of real
estate, and it is the prevailing doctrine that a deed
must be signed as well as sealed, though at common law
signing was formerly not necessary.
{Blank deed}, a printed form containing the customary legal
phraseology, with blank spaces for writing in names,
dates, boundaries, etc.
6. Performance; -- followed by of. [Obs.] --Shak.
{In deed}, in fact; in truth; verily. See {Indeed}.
Blank \Blank\, a. [OE. blank, blonc, blaunc, blaunche, fr. F.
blanc, fem. blanche, fr. OHG. blanch shining, bright, white,
G. blank; akin to E. blink, cf. also AS. blanc white. ?98.
See {Blink}, and cf. 1st {Blanch}.]
1. Of a white or pale color; without color.
To the blank moon Her office they prescribed.
--Milton.
2. Free from writing, printing, or marks; having an empty
space to be filled in with some special writing; -- said
of checks, official documents, etc.; as, blank paper; a
blank check; a blank ballot.
3. Utterly confounded or discomfited.
Adam . . . astonied stood, and blank. --Milton.
4. Empty; void; without result; fruitless; as, a blank space;
a blank day.
5. Lacking characteristics which give variety; as, a blank
desert; a blank wall; destitute of interests, affections,
hopes, etc.; as, to live a blank existence; destitute of
sensations; as, blank unconsciousness.
6. Lacking animation and intelligence, or their associated
characteristics, as expression of face, look, etc.;
expressionless; vacant. ``Blank and horror-stricken
faces.'' --C. Kingsley.
The blank . . . glance of a half returned
consciousness. --G. Eliot.
7. Absolute; downright; unmixed; as, blank terror.
{Blank bar} (Law), a plea put in to oblige the plaintiff in
an action of trespass to assign the certain place where
the trespass was committed; -- called also {common bar}.
{Blank cartridge}, a cartridge containing no ball.
{Blank deed}. See {Deed}.
{Blank door}, or {Blank window} (Arch.), a depression in a
wall of the size of a door or window, either for
symmetrical effect, or for the more convenient insertion
of a door or window at a future time, should it be needed.
{Blank indorsement} (Law), an indorsement which omits the
name of the person in whose favor it is made; it is
usually made by simply writing the name of the indorser on
the back of the bill.
{Blank line} (Print.), a vacant space of the breadth of a
line, on a printed page; a line of quadrats.
{Blank tire} (Mech.), a tire without a flange.
{Blank tooling}. See {Blind tooling}, under {Blind}.
{Blank verse}. See under {Verse}.
{Blank wall}, a wall in which there is no opening; a dead
wall.