Fail to prepare to fire cartridge with no bullet (4,1,5)

I believe the answer is:

draw a blank

I'm a little stuck... Click here to teach me more about this clue!

'fail' is the definition.
(to draw a blank is to fail to think of something)

I cannot understand how the rest of the clue works.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for draw a blank that I've seen before include "Scrabble player likes to" , "elicit no successful response" , "Fail in search" , "Get no successful response" , "In board game players like to" .)

I've seen this clue in The Everyman puzzle in The Observer.

Want a hint initially instead of a full solution? Install my app