different between vain vs nugatory
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
- what vein carries oxygenated blood
- what vein carries blood to the heart
- what vein drains the liver
- what vein is used to draw blood
- what vein carries deoxygenated blood
- what vein drains the brain
nugatory
English
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin n?g?t?rius
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /?nju???t??i/
Adjective
nugatory (comparative more nugatory, superlative most nugatory)
- Trivial, trifling or of little importance.
- 1872, Benjamin Disraeli, Suez Canal Speech
- I might refer to the general conviction and the common sense of society that such an investment cannot be treated as absolutely idle and nugatory.
- 1872, Benjamin Disraeli, Suez Canal Speech
- Ineffective, invalid or futile.
- 1792, George Washington, Fourth State of the Union Address
- I can not dismiss the subject of Indian affairs without again recommending to your consideration the expediency of more adequate provision for giving energy to the laws throughout our interior frontier and for restraining the commission of outrages upon the Indians, without which all pacific plans must prove nugatory.
- 1792, George Washington, Fourth State of the Union Address
- (law) Having no force, inoperative, ineffectual.
- 1819, Chief Justice John Marshall, McCulloch v. Maryland (17 U.S. 316)
- The word "necessary" is considered as controlling the whole sentence, and as limiting the right to pass laws for the execution of the granted powers to such as are indispensable, and without which the power would be nugatory.
- 1819, Chief Justice John Marshall, McCulloch v. Maryland (17 U.S. 316)
- (computing) Removable from a computer program with safety, but harmless if retained.
Translations
nugatory From the web:
- nugatory meaning
- what's nugatory expenditure
- what does nugatory mean
- what does nugatory mean in a sentence
- what does nugatory mean in english
- what does nugatory expenditure mean
- what do nugatory mean
- what is nugatory payment
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