vain : Dictionary / Wörterbuch (BEOLINGUS, TU Chemnitz)

English Dictionary: vain	by the DICT Development Group
3 results for vain
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
vain adj characteristic of false pride; having an exaggerated sense of self-importance; "a conceited fool"; "an attitude of self-conceited arrogance"; "an egotistical disregard of others"; "so swollen by victory that he was unfit for normal duty"; "growing ever more swollen-headed and arbitrary"; "vain about her clothes" Synonym(s): conceited, egotistic, egotistical, self- conceited, swollen, swollen-headed, vain unproductive of success; "a fruitless search"; "futile years after her artistic peak"; "a sleeveless errand"; "a vain attempt" Synonym(s): bootless, fruitless, futile, sleeveless, vain
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]:
Vain \Vain\, a. [Compar. {Vainer}; superl. {Vainest}.] [F. vain, L. vanus empty, void, vain. Cf. {Vanish}, {Vanity}, {Vaunt} to boast.] 1. Having no real substance, value, or importance; empty; void; worthless; unsatisfying. [bd]Thy vain excuse.[b8] --Shak. Every man walketh in a vain show. --Ps. xxxix. 6. Let no man deceive you with vain words. --Eph. v. 6. Vain pomp, and glory of this world, I hate ye! --Shak. Vain visdom all, and false philosophy. --Milton. 2. Destitute of forge or efficacy; effecting no purpose; fruitless; ineffectual; as, vain toil; a vain attempt. Bring no more vain oblations. --Isa. i. 13. Vain is the force of man To crush the pillars which the pile sustain. --Dryden. 3. Proud of petty things, or of trifling attainments; having a high opinion of one's own accomplishments with slight reason; conceited; puffed up; inflated. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith apart from works is barren? --James ii. 20 (Rev. Ver.). The minstrels played on every side, Vain of their art. --Dryden. 4. Showy; ostentatious. Load some vain church with old theatric state. --Pope. Syn: Empty; worthless; fruitless; ineffectual; idle; unreal; shadowy; showy; ostentatious; light; inconstant; deceitful; delusive; unimportant; trifling.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]:
Vain \Vain\, n. Vanity; emptiness; -- now used only in the phrase in vain. {For vain}. See {In vain}. [Obs.] --Shak. {In vain}, to no purpose; without effect; ineffectually. [bd] In vain doth valor bleed.[b8] --Milton. [bd] In vain they do worship me.[b8] --Matt. xv. 9. {To take the name of God in vain}, to use the name of God with levity or profaneness.