free records vs deleted records

[Fairlight]

Assume one does a lookup for a free record, and it succeeds.  Further
assume that one does not ever issue a "write lookupname" command.

Does the record actually get written by default, even with blank records?
I see blank ones showing up in the keys, but I'm unsure as to how to find
out if it's considered "taken/used", or flagged as "deleted" and available
for reuse in the freechain.

I'd appreciate insight into this vagary.  Thanks!

mark->
-- 
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