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adjective, vain·er, vain·est.
1.
excessively proud of or concerned about one's own appearance, qualities, achievements, etc.; conceited: a vain dandy.
2.
proceeding from or showing pride in or concern about one's appearance, qualities, etc.; resulting from or displaying vanity: He made some vain remarks about his accomplishments.
3.
ineffectual or unsuccessful; futile: vain hopes; a vain effort; a vain war.
4.
without real significance, value, or importance; baseless or worthless: vain pageantry; vain display.
5.
Archaic. senseless or foolish.
6.
in vain,
a.
without effect or avail; to no purpose: lives lost in vain; to apologize in vain.
b.
in an improper or irreverent manner: to take God's name in vain.
00:10
Vain
is always a great word to know.
So is callithumpian. Does it mean:
| a children's mummer's parade, as on the Fourth of July, with prizes for the best costumes. |
| an arrangement of five objects, as trees, in a square or rectangle, one at each corner and one in the middle. |
Origin:
1250–1300; Middle English < Old French < Latin vānus empty, vain
1250–1300; Middle English < Old French < Latin vānus empty, vain
Related forms
vain·ly, adverb
vain·ness, noun
un·vain, adjective
un·vain·ly, adverb
un·vain·ness, noun
Synonyms
1. egotistical, self-complacent, vainglorious, proud, arrogant, overweening. 3. fruitless, unavailing. 4. unimportant, trivial, trifling, nugatory. See useless.
1. egotistical, self-complacent, vainglorious, proud, arrogant, overweening. 3. fruitless, unavailing. 4. unimportant, trivial, trifling, nugatory. See useless.
Antonyms
1. humble. 3. useful.
1. humble. 3. useful.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source
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Link To vain
Collins
World English Dictionary
vain (veɪn) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —adj | |
| 1. | inordinately proud of one's appearance, possessions, or achievements |
| 2. | given to ostentatious display, esp of one's beauty |
| 3. | worthless |
| 4. | senseless or futile |
| —n | |
| 5. | in vain to no avail; fruitlessly |
| 6. | take someone's name in vain |
| a. to use the name of someone, esp God, without due respect or reverence | |
| b. jocular to mention someone's name | |
| [C13: via Old French from Latin vānus] | |
| 'vainly | |
| —adv | |
| 'vainness | |
| —n | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
vain
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.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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American Heritage
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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Example sentences
Sales have fallen sharply, as developers wait in vain for demand to pick up rather than flogging their properties at a discount.
The dead's survivors insisted that their soldiers had not died in vain.
Pray for unity and world peace, so that these precious losses will not have been in vain.
Academia and industry hunt in vain for few genius scientists and breakthrough inventions.
Idioms & Phrases
Nearby Words
Synonyms
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