different between vain vs cocksure
vain
English
Alternative forms
- wayn (obsolete)
Etymology
From Middle English veyn, from Old French vain, from Latin v?nus (“empty”).
Pronunciation
- enPR: v?n, IPA(key): /ve?n/
- Homophones: vane, vein
- Rhymes: -e?n
Adjective
vain (comparative vainer or more vain, superlative vainest or most vain)
- Overly proud of oneself, especially concerning appearance; having a high opinion of one's own accomplishments with slight reason.
- 1959, Leo Rosten, The return of H*Y*M*A*N K*A*P*L*A*N
- Every writer is a narcissist. This does not mean that he is vain; it only means that he is hopelessly self-absorbed.
- 1959, Leo Rosten, The return of H*Y*M*A*N K*A*P*L*A*N
- Having no real substance, value, or importance; empty; void; worthless; unsatisfying.
- Let no man deceive you with vain words.
- Effecting no purpose; pointless, futile.
- Vain is the force of man / To crush the pillars which the pile sustain.
- Showy; ostentatious.
Synonyms
- (overly proud of oneself): conceited; puffed up; inflated
- (pointless): pointless, futile, fruitless, ineffectual
- See also Thesaurus:arrogant
- See also Thesaurus:futile
Derived terms
- in vain
- vainness
- vainly
Related terms
- vanity
Translations
Further reading
- vain in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
- vain in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
- vain at OneLook Dictionary Search
Anagrams
- Ivan, Na'vi, Vani, Vina, Viña, vina
Dalmatian
Alternative forms
- ven
Etymology
From Latin v?num. Compare Istriot veîn.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /?e?/
Noun
vain m
- wine
Finnish
Alternative forms
- vaan (colloquial, all senses; also has other non-colloquial meanings)
Etymology
Probably an old instructive plural of vajaa. Cognate with Estonian vaid.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /???i?n/, [???i?n]
- Rhymes: -?in
- Syllabification: vain
Adverb
vain
- only, merely, exclusively, solely, just
- ever (when used with an interrogative pronoun)
- mikä vain, milloin vain (“whenever”)
- Synonym: tahansa
- An emphatic word used with the negative verb and -kö.
- (with a verb in imperative) go ahead, be my guest
- Synonyms: sen kuin, sen kun
Derived terms
- kuka vain
- mikä vain
Anagrams
- inva-, ivan, niva, vian
French
Etymology
From Old French vain, from Latin v?nus, from Proto-Indo-European *h?weh?- (“empty”).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /v??/
- Homophones: vainc, vaincs, vains, vin, vingt, vingts, vins, vint, vînt
Adjective
vain (feminine singular vaine, masculine plural vains, feminine plural vaines)
- useless, ineffective, fruitless
- vain, shallow
Synonyms
- inutile
Derived terms
- en vain
Related terms
- vanité
- vaniteux
Further reading
- “vain” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).
Norman
Etymology
From Old French vain, from Latin v?nus (“empty”).
Adjective
vain m
- (Jersey) vain
Derived terms
- vainement (“vainly”)
vain From the web:
- what vain means
- what vainglory mean
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cocksure
English
Alternative forms
- cock-sure
Etymology
Probably from cock +? sure, early 16th c.
Adjective
cocksure (comparative more cocksure, superlative most cocksure)
- (informal) too confident; overconfident
- 1716, Alexander Pope, letter to the Earl of Burlington
- I thought myself cocksure of his horse, which he readily promis'd me.
- Cocksure certainty is the source of much that is worst in our present world, and it is something of which the contemplation of history ought to cure us, not only or chiefly because there were wise men in the past, but because so much that was thought wisdom turned out to be folly – which suggests that much of our own supposed wisdom is no better. I do not mean to maintain that we should lapse into a lazy scepticism. We should hold our beliefs, and hold them strongly. Nothing great is achieved without passion, but underneath the passion there should always be that large impersonal survey which sets limits to actions that our passions inspire.
- 1716, Alexander Pope, letter to the Earl of Burlington
Translations
cocksure From the web:
- what is cocksure synonym
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