Not yielding the desired outcome; fruitless: a vain attempt.
Lacking substance or worth: vain talk.
Excessively proud of one's appearance or accomplishments; conceited.
Archaic Foolish.
[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin vānus, empty; see euə- in Indo-European roots.]
vain'ly adv., vain'ness n.
Synonyms: These adjectives mean lacking value or substance: vain regrets; empty pleasures; hollow threats; idle dreams; nugatory commentaries; an otiose belief in alchemy. See Also Synonyms at futile.
c.1300, "devoid of real value, idle, unprofitable," from O.Fr. vein "worthless," from L. vanus "idle, empty," from PIE *wa-no-, from base *eue- "to leave, abandon, give out" (cf. O.E. wanian "to lessen," wan "deficient;" O.N. vanta "to lack;" L. vacare "to be empty," vastus "empty, waste;" Avestan va- "lack," Pers. vang "empty, poor;" Skt. una- "deficient"). Meaning "conceited" first recorded 1692, from earlier sense of "silly, idle, foolish" (1390). Phrase in vain "to no effect" (c.1300, after L. in vanum) preserves the original sense.
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" [syn: conceited]
2.
unproductive of success; "a fruitless search"; "futile years after her artistic peak"; "a sleeveless errand"; "a vain attempt" [syn: bootless]
Ev`a*nesce"\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Evanesced; p. pr. & vb. n. Evanescing. .] [L. evanescere; e out + vanescere to vanish, fr. vanus empty, vain. See Vain, and cf. Evanish.] To vanish away; to become dissipated and disappear, like vapor. I believe him to have evanesced or evaporated. --De Quincey.
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. "Thy vain excuse." --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 wisdom 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.
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