vain

Also found in: Thesaurus, Medical, Acronyms, Idioms, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia.

vain

excessively proud of one’s appearance, qualities, etc.; conceited: She is very vain about her long black hair.; arrogant; egotistical; without effect or avail: Her efforts were in vain.; worthless; unimportant

Not to be confused with:

vane – blade in a wheel moved by air, steam, or water: A weather vane shows the direction of the wind.; someone who is changeable or fickle

vein – blood vessel; a natural channel; a body or stratum of ore: a rich vein of coal; a condition, mood, or temper: a vein of sadness; tone; touch; thread; streak

vain

(vān)

adj. vain·er, vain·est

1. Not yielding the desired outcome; fruitless: a vain attempt.

2. Lacking substance or worth: vain talk.

3. Having or showing excessive pride in one's appearance or accomplishments; conceited.

4. Archaic Foolish.

Idiom:

in vain

1. To no avail; without success: Our labor was in vain.

2. In an irreverent or disrespectful manner: took the Lord's name in vain.

[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin vānus, empty; see euə- in Indo-European roots.]

vain′ly adv.

vain′ness n.

Synonyms: vain, empty, hollow, idle, otiose
These adjectives mean lacking value or substance: vain regrets; empty pleasures; hollow threats; idle dreams; otiose theoretical discussions. See Also Synonyms at futile.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

vain

(veɪn)

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

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

7. (Bible) to use the name of someone, esp God, without due respect or reverence

8. jocular to mention someone's name

[C13: via Old French from Latin vānus]

ˈvainly adv

ˈvainness n

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

vain

(veɪn)

adj. -er, -est.

1. excessively proud of or concerned about one's own appearance, qualities, achievements, etc.

2. proceeding from or showing personal vanity.

3. futile: vain efforts.

4. without real significance.

5. Archaic. senseless or foolish.

Idioms:

in vain,

a. without effect or avail; to no purpose.

b. in an improper or irreverent manner: to take God's name in vain.

[1250–1300; < Old French < Latin vānus empty, vain]

vain′ly, adv.

vain′ness, n.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Switch to new thesaurus

Adj.	1.	vain - 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" conceited, self-conceited, swollen, swollen-headed, egotistic, egotistical proud - feeling self-respect or pleasure in something by which you measure your self-worth; or being a reason for pride; "proud parents"; "proud of his accomplishments"; "a proud moment"; "proud to serve his country"; "a proud name"; "proud princes"
	2.	vain - unproductive of success; "a fruitless search"; "futile years after her artistic peak"; "a sleeveless errand"; "a vain attempt" bootless, fruitless, futile, sleeveless unproductive - not producing or capable of producing; "elimination of high-cost or unproductive industries"

vain

adjective

1. futile, useless, pointless, unsuccessful, empty, hollow, idle, trivial, worthless, trifling, senseless, unimportant, fruitless, unproductive, abortive, unprofitable, time-wasting, unavailing, nugatory They worked all night in a vain attempt to finish on schedule.
futile successful, profitable, worthwhile, serious, useful, valid, worthy, fruitful

2. conceited, narcissistic, proud, arrogant, inflated, swaggering, stuck-up (informal), cocky, swanky (informal), ostentatious, egotistical, self-important, overweening, vainglorious, swollen-headed (informal), pleased with yourself, bigheaded (informal), peacockish She's a shallow, vain and self-centred woman.
conceited modest, humble, meek, self-deprecating, bashful

in vain

3. useless, to no avail, unsuccessfu, fruitless, useless, unsuccessful, fruitless, wasted, vain, ineffectual, without success, to no purpose, bootless All her complaints were in vain.

4. uselessly, to no avail, unsuccessfully, fruitlessly, vainly, ineffectually, without success, to no purpose, bootlessly He hammered the door, trying in vain to attract her attention.

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

vain

adjective

1. Having no useful result:

barren, bootless, fruitless, futile, unavailing, unprofitable, unsuccessful, useless.

Idiom: in vain.

2. Lacking value, use, or substance:

empty, hollow, idle, otiose, vacant.

3. Unduly preoccupied with one's own appearance:

conceited, narcissistic.

4. Thinking too highly of oneself:

conceited, egoistic, egoistical, egotistic, egotistical, narcissistic, vainglorious.

Informal: bigheaded, stuck-up, swellheaded.

Translations

باَطِلغَيْر ناجِح، باطِل، عَقيمفارِغ، باطِل، لا معْنى لهمَغْرور، مَزْهو

marnýnafoukanýprázdný

forfængeligforgævesfrugtesløs

eitel leer vergeblich affig

μάταιος

vano vanidoso presumido inútil petulante

turhamainentyhjäturha

vain vaniteux frivole futile abortif

uzaludan

hiú

árangurslaushégómlegur, sjálfumglaîurinnantómur

vano vanitoso invano

うぬぼれの強い

허영심이 강한

tuščiagarbis

iedomīgsneveiksmīgstukšsveltīgs

brezuspešendomišljavzaman

fåfäng

ไร้ประโยชน์

kendini beğenmiş kibirli yararsız anlamsız boş

vô hiệu

徒劳的徒然的无效的空虚的自负的

vain

[veɪn] ADJ

1. (= useless) → vano, inútil
in vain [try, struggle] → en vano, inútilmente; [search] → sin éxito, en vano
all our efforts were in vain → todos nuestros esfuerzos fueron en vano or resultaron inútiles
I stayed, in the vain hope that → me quedé con la vana esperanza de que ...
to take sb's name in vain → hablar con poco respeto de algn
to take the Lord's name in vain → tomar el nombre de Dios en vano

2. (vainer (compar) (vainest (superl))) (= conceited) → vanidoso, presumido
she is very vain about her hair → siempre está arreglándose el pelo

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

vain

[ˈveɪn] adj

(= conceited) → vaniteux/euse
He's so vain! → Il est si vaniteux!

(= useless) [attempt, hope] → vain(e) often before n
in a vain attempt to do sth → dans une vaine tentative pour faire qch
in the vain hope that → dans le vain espoir que
in vain → en vain
to die in vain → mourir en vain

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

vain

adj

(+er) (about looks) → eitel; (about qualities) → eingebildet; he’s very vain about his musical abilities → er bildet sich (dat) → auf sein musikalisches Können viel ein; he is vain about his appearance → er ist eitel

(= useless, empty) → eitel (liter); attempt also → vergeblich; pleasures, promises, words also, threat → leer; hope also → töricht; he had vain hopes of getting the job → er machte sich vergeblich Hoffnung auf den Posten; in the vain hope that … → in der vergeblichen Hoffnung, dass …; in vain → umsonst, vergeblich, vergebens; it was all in vain → das war alles umsonst or vergeblich or vergebens; in a vain attempt to do something → in einem vergeblichen Versuch, etw zu tun

to take God’s name in vain → den Namen Gottes missbrauchen, Gott lästern; was someone taking my name in vain? (hum) → hat da wieder jemand von mir geredet?

(liter, = worthless) display, ceremony → eitel (liter)

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

vain

[veɪn] adj (-er (comp) (-est (superl)))

a. (attempt, hope) → vano/a, inutile
in vain → invano, inutilmente
all our efforts were in vain → tutti i nostri sforzi sono stati inutili

b. (person) → vanitoso/a

vain

(vein) adjective

1. having too much pride in one's appearance, achievements etc; conceited. She's very vain about her good looks.

2. unsuccessful. He made a vain attempt to reach the drowning woman.

3. empty; meaningless. vain threats; vain promises.

ˈvainly adverb

unsuccessfully. He searched vainly for the treasure.

vanity (ˈvӕnəti) noun

1. excessive admiration of oneself; conceit. Vanity is her chief fault.

2. worthlessness or pointlessness. the vanity of human ambition.

in vain

with no success. He tried in vain to open the locked door.

vain

→ باَطِل marný frugtesløs eitel μάταιος vanidoso, vano turhamainen vaniteux uzaludan vano うぬぼれの強い 허영심이 강한 vergeefs forfengelig próżny vaidoso тщетный fåfäng ไร้ประโยชน์ kendini beğenmiş vô hiệu 徒然的

vain

a. vano-a, vanidoso-a;

adv. vanamente, en vano.

Mentioned in ?

References in classic literature ?

This, however, is mine other manly prudence: I am more forbearing to the VAIN than to the proud.

View in context

So are there some vain persons, that whatsoever goeth alone, or moveth upon greater means, if they have never so little hand in it, they think it is they that carry it.

View in context

All is vanity and everybody's vain. Women are terribly vain.

View in context

In vain did we count the tedious moments of his absence--in vain did we weep--in vain even did we sigh--no Edward returned--.

View in context

Thee I re-visit now with bolder wing, Escap't the STYGIAN Pool, though long detain'd In that obscure sojourn, while in my flight Through utter and through middle darkness borne With other notes then to th' ORPHEAN Lyre I sung of CHAOS and ETERNAL NIGHT, Taught by the heav'nly Muse to venture down The dark descent, and up to reascend, Though hard and rare: thee I revisit safe, And feel thy sovran vital Lamp; but thou Revisit'st not these eyes, that rowle in vain To find thy piercing ray, and find no dawn; So thick a drop serene hath quencht thir Orbs, Or dim suffusion veild.

View in context

He prayed, he wept, he sorrowed, but all in vain. 'Alas!' he said,

View in context

--that one strivest, this one jettest all in vain! In vain, oh whale, dost thou seek intercedings with yon all-quickening sun, that only calls forth life, but gives it not again.

View in context

So, I say, I plied my brains in vain for that becoming fault.

View in context

I DO not propose to add anything to what has already been written concerning the loss of the "Lady Vain." As everyone knows, she collided with a derelict when ten days out from Callao.

View in context

Obviously it was a vain hope in 187- to see the ladies of a royal household walk in chequered sunshine, with baskets of linen on their heads, to the banks of a clear stream overhung by the starry fronds of palm-trees.

View in context

And to be sure, as your ladyship says, the girl hath always appeared like a good, honest, plain girl, and not vain of her face, forsooth, as some wanton husseys in the neighbourhood are."

View in context

And just as the conclusions of the astronomers would have been vain and uncertain if not founded on observations of the seen heavens, in relation to a single meridian and a single horizon, so would my conclusions be vain and uncertain if not founded on that conception of right, which has been and will be always alike for all men, which has been revealed to me as a Christian, and which can always be trusted in my soul.