See in vain in All languages combined, or Wiktionary
Download JSON data for in vain meaning in English (18.1kB)
{
"forms": [
{
"form": "more in vain",
"tags": [
"comparative"
]
},
{
"form": "most in vain",
"tags": [
"superlative"
]
}
],
"head_templates": [
{
"args": {},
"expansion": "in vain (comparative more in vain, superlative most in vain)",
"name": "en-adv"
}
],
"lang": "English",
"lang_code": "en",
"pos": "adv",
"senses": [
{
"categories": [],
"examples": [
{
"text": "19th c., Friedrich Nietzsche\nOn the mountains of truth you can never climb in vain."
},
{
"ref": "1956 [1880], Johanna Spyri, Heidi, translation of original by Eileen Hall, page 46",
"text": "For some time Grannie tried in vain to comfort her.",
"type": "quotation"
},
{
"ref": "1960 March, J. P. Wilson, E. N. C. Haywood, “The route through the Peak: Derby to Manchester. Part One”, in Trains Illustrated, page 149",
"text": "All these great plans were in vain, however, for in the cold dawn following the \"Mania\" years of 1845–46 the M.B.M. & M.J.R. project was truncated to an 11+¹⁄₂-mile line from Ambergate to Rowsley.",
"type": "quotation"
}
],
"glosses": [
"Without success or a result; ending in failure."
],
"id": "en-in_vain-en-adv-X5zw9iH3",
"links": [
[
"success",
"success"
],
[
"result",
"result"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(idiomatic) Without success or a result; ending in failure."
],
"tags": [
"idiomatic"
],
"translations": [
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"code": "ar",
"lang": "Arabic",
"roman": "ʕabaṯan",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "عَبَثًا"
},
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"code": "ar",
"lang": "Arabic",
"roman": "sudan",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "سُدًى"
},
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"code": "hy",
"lang": "Armenian",
"roman": "zur",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "զուր"
},
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"code": "hy",
"lang": "Armenian",
"roman": "izur",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "իզուր"
},
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"code": "be",
"lang": "Belarusian",
"roman": "darémna",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "дарэ́мна"
},
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"code": "be",
"lang": "Belarusian",
"roman": "darmá",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "дарма́"
},
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"code": "be",
"lang": "Belarusian",
"roman": "márna",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "ма́рна"
},
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"code": "bg",
"lang": "Bulgarian",
"roman": "naprazno",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "напразно"
},
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"code": "ca",
"lang": "Catalan",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "en va"
},
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"code": "cmn",
"lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
"roman": "túrán",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "徒然"
},
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"code": "cmn",
"lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
"roman": "báibái",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "白白"
},
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"code": "cmn",
"lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "無益"
},
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"code": "cmn",
"lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
"roman": "wúyì",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "无益"
},
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"code": "cmn",
"lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "徒勞"
},
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"code": "cmn",
"lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
"roman": "túláo",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "徒劳"
},
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"code": "chn",
"lang": "Chinook Jargon",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "k'ax̣chi"
},
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"code": "cs",
"lang": "Czech",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "neúspěšně"
},
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"code": "nl",
"lang": "Dutch",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "tevergeefs"
},
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"code": "nl",
"lang": "Dutch",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "vergeefs"
},
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"code": "eo",
"lang": "Esperanto",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "sensolve"
},
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"code": "eo",
"lang": "Esperanto",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "vane"
},
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"code": "fi",
"lang": "Finnish",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "turhaan"
},
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"code": "fi",
"lang": "Finnish",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "tarpeettomasti"
},
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"code": "fi",
"lang": "Finnish",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "tarpeetta"
},
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"code": "fr",
"lang": "French",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "en vain"
},
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"code": "fr",
"lang": "French",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "inutilement"
},
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"code": "gl",
"lang": "Galician",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "en balde"
},
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"code": "gl",
"lang": "Galician",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "en van"
},
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"code": "de",
"lang": "German",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "vergebens"
},
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"code": "de",
"lang": "German",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "vergeblich"
},
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"code": "de",
"lang": "German",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "umsonst"
},
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"code": "el",
"lang": "Greek",
"roman": "mátaia",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "μάταια"
},
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"code": "el",
"lang": "Greek",
"roman": "tou kákou",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "του κάκου"
},
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"code": "el",
"lang": "Greek",
"roman": "eis mátin",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "εις μάτην"
},
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"code": "el",
"lang": "Greek",
"roman": "epí mataío",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "επί ματαίω"
},
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"code": "grc",
"lang": "Ancient Greek",
"roman": "mátēn",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "μάτην"
},
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"code": "grc",
"lang": "Ancient Greek",
"roman": "hálion",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "ἅλιον"
},
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"code": "grc",
"lang": "Ancient Greek",
"roman": "máps",
"sense": "without success",
"tags": [
"Epic"
],
"word": "μάψ"
},
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"code": "hu",
"lang": "Hungarian",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "hiába"
},
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"code": "hu",
"lang": "Hungarian",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "hasztalan"
},
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"code": "hu",
"lang": "Hungarian",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "hasztalanul"
},
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"code": "is",
"lang": "Icelandic",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "til einskis"
},
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"code": "is",
"lang": "Icelandic",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "árangurslaus"
},
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"code": "is",
"lang": "Icelandic",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "unnið fyrir gýg"
},
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"code": "izh",
"lang": "Ingrian",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "turhaa"
},
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"code": "it",
"lang": "Italian",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "invano"
},
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"alt": "むえきの",
"code": "ja",
"lang": "Japanese",
"roman": "mueki no",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "無益の"
},
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"code": "kk",
"lang": "Kazakh",
"roman": "beker",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "бекер"
},
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"code": "ko",
"lang": "Korean",
"roman": "heotdoei",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "헛되이"
},
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"code": "ckb",
"lang": "Central Kurdish",
"roman": "badawe",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "باداوە"
},
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"code": "la",
"lang": "Latin",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "in cassum"
},
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"code": "la",
"lang": "Latin",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "futtile"
},
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"code": "la",
"lang": "Latin",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "frustrā"
},
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"code": "la",
"lang": "Latin",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "in vānum"
},
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"code": "ml",
"lang": "Malayalam",
"roman": "vr̥thā",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "വൃഥാ"
},
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"code": "ml",
"lang": "Malayalam",
"roman": "veṟute",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "വെറുതെ"
},
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"code": "mnc",
"lang": "Manchu",
"roman": "mekele",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "ᠮᡝᡴᡝᠯᡝ"
},
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"code": "mi",
"lang": "Maori",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "parau"
},
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"code": "mi",
"lang": "Maori",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "paraurehe"
},
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"code": "mi",
"lang": "Maori",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "huakore"
},
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"code": "nv",
"lang": "Navajo",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "chʼééh"
},
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"code": "nb",
"lang": "Norwegian Bokmål",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "forgjeves"
},
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"code": "nb",
"lang": "Norwegian Bokmål",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "fånyttes"
},
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"code": "nn",
"lang": "Norwegian Nynorsk",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "forgjeves"
},
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"code": "ang",
"lang": "Old English",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "on īdel"
},
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"code": "pdt",
"lang": "Plautdietsch",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "vejäfs"
},
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"code": "pl",
"lang": "Polish",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "daremnie"
},
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"code": "pl",
"lang": "Polish",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "na darmo"
},
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"code": "pl",
"lang": "Polish",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "na próżno"
},
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"code": "pl",
"lang": "Polish",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "bezskutecznie"
},
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"code": "pt",
"lang": "Portuguese",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "em vão"
},
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"code": "pt",
"lang": "Portuguese",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "inutilmente"
},
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"code": "ro",
"lang": "Romanian",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "degeaba"
},
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"code": "ro",
"lang": "Romanian",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "în zadar"
},
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"code": "ru",
"lang": "Russian",
"roman": "naprásno",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "напра́сно"
},
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"code": "ru",
"lang": "Russian",
"roman": "zrja",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "зря"
},
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"code": "ru",
"lang": "Russian",
"roman": "dárom",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "да́ром"
},
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"code": "ru",
"lang": "Russian",
"roman": "tščétno",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "тще́тно"
},
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"code": "ru",
"lang": "Russian",
"roman": "vpustúju",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "впусту́ю"
},
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"code": "ru",
"lang": "Russian",
"roman": "vsúje",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "всу́е"
},
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"code": "ru",
"lang": "Russian",
"roman": "bezuspéšno",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "безуспе́шно"
},
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"code": "ru",
"english": "to no purpose",
"lang": "Russian",
"roman": "pópustu",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "по́пусту"
},
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"code": "sh",
"lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "ȕzalūd"
},
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"code": "sh",
"lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "ȕzalūdno"
},
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"code": "sl",
"lang": "Slovene",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "zamàn"
},
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"code": "es",
"lang": "Spanish",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "en vano"
},
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"code": "es",
"lang": "Spanish",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "en balde"
},
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"code": "es",
"lang": "Spanish",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "inútilmente"
},
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"code": "sv",
"lang": "Swedish",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "förgäves"
},
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"code": "tl",
"lang": "Tagalog",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "lihing"
},
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"code": "tr",
"lang": "Turkish",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "boşuna"
},
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"code": "uk",
"lang": "Ukrainian",
"roman": "márno",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "ма́рно"
},
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"code": "uk",
"lang": "Ukrainian",
"roman": "darémno",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "даре́мно"
},
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"code": "uk",
"lang": "Ukrainian",
"roman": "darmá",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "дарма́"
},
{
"_dis1": "73 27",
"code": "vi",
"lang": "Vietnamese",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "hoài"
}
]
},
{
"categories": [],
"examples": [
{
"ref": "1817, Sir Walter Scott, Rob Roy, published 2015, page 4",
"text": "Methinks I see him even now in my mind's eye;— the firm and upright figure,— the step, quick and determined, — the eye, which shot so keen and so penetrating a glance,— the features on which care had already planted wrinkles, and hear his language, in which he never wasted word in vain, expressed in a voice which had sometimes an occasional harshness, far from the intention of the speaker.",
"type": "quotation"
},
{
"ref": "2013, Mandy Merck, The Sexual Subject: Screen Reader in Sexuality",
"text": "A fetishist regime attempts to annul the separation of image and spectator, to reinstall an immediate relation that promises (in vain) to provide satisfaction to desire itself.",
"type": "quotation"
},
{
"ref": "2015, Kent Gramm, The Prayer of Jesus: A Reading of the Lord’s Prayer, page 69",
"text": "This petition is the reverse side of the commandment against taking God's name in vain.",
"type": "quotation"
},
{
"ref": "2015, Jimmy R. Watson, Big Jesus: A Pastor’s Struggle with Christology, page 119",
"text": "McLaren's task, it seems, is to set Jesus in a more appropriate and biblical context so that we won't use his name “in vain.”",
"type": "quotation"
},
{
"ref": "2016, Alexandre Dumas, translated by Frank J. Morlock, The Count of Monte Cristo, Part IV (play), page 247",
"text": "That's fine. I know you won't engage your word in vain.",
"type": "quotation"
}
],
"glosses": [
"In a disrespectful manner, without honoring the proper meaning; insincerely or without proper respect."
],
"id": "en-in_vain-en-adv-tOiKQwLg",
"links": [
[
"disrespectful",
"disrespectful"
],
[
"insincerely",
"insincerely"
],
[
"respect",
"respect"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(idiomatic) In a disrespectful manner, without honoring the proper meaning; insincerely or without proper respect."
],
"related": [
{
"_dis1": "37 63",
"word": "Richard of York gave battle in vain"
},
{
"_dis1": "37 63",
"word": "take someone's name in vain"
}
],
"synonyms": [
{
"_dis1": "43 57",
"word": "vainly"
}
],
"tags": [
"idiomatic"
],
"translations": [
{
"_dis1": "1 99",
"code": "fi",
"lang": "Finnish",
"sense": "disrespectful manner",
"word": "turhaan"
},
{
"_dis1": "1 99",
"code": "fr",
"lang": "French",
"sense": "disrespectful manner",
"word": "à la légère"
},
{
"_dis1": "1 99",
"code": "gl",
"lang": "Galician",
"sense": "disrespectful manner",
"word": "en van"
},
{
"_dis1": "1 99",
"code": "de",
"lang": "German",
"sense": "disrespectful manner",
"word": "eitel"
},
{
"_dis1": "1 99",
"code": "de",
"lang": "German",
"sense": "disrespectful manner",
"word": "lästerlich"
},
{
"_dis1": "1 99",
"code": "de",
"lang": "German",
"sense": "disrespectful manner",
"word": "missbräuchlich"
},
{
"_dis1": "1 99",
"code": "de",
"lang": "German",
"sense": "disrespectful manner",
"word": "respektlos"
},
{
"_dis1": "1 99",
"code": "grc",
"lang": "Ancient Greek",
"roman": "epì mataíōi",
"sense": "disrespectful manner",
"word": "ἐπὶ ματαίῳ"
},
{
"_dis1": "1 99",
"code": "hu",
"lang": "Hungarian",
"sense": "disrespectful manner",
"word": "hiába"
},
{
"_dis1": "1 99",
"code": "hu",
"lang": "Hungarian",
"sense": "disrespectful manner",
"word": "tiszteletlenül"
},
{
"_dis1": "1 99",
"code": "hu",
"lang": "Hungarian",
"sense": "disrespectful manner",
"word": "illetlenül"
},
{
"_dis1": "1 99",
"code": "is",
"lang": "Icelandic",
"sense": "disrespectful manner",
"word": "í hégóma"
},
{
"_dis1": "1 99",
"code": "it",
"lang": "Italian",
"sense": "disrespectful manner",
"tags": [
"masculine"
],
"word": "invano"
},
{
"_dis1": "1 99",
"code": "it",
"lang": "Italian",
"sense": "disrespectful manner",
"word": "alla leggera"
},
{
"_dis1": "1 99",
"code": "it",
"lang": "Italian",
"sense": "disrespectful manner",
"word": "disdicevolmente"
},
{
"_dis1": "1 99",
"code": "pl",
"lang": "Polish",
"sense": "disrespectful manner",
"word": "nadaremno"
},
{
"_dis1": "1 99",
"code": "es",
"lang": "Spanish",
"sense": "disrespectful manner",
"word": "a la ligera"
},
{
"_dis1": "1 99",
"code": "tl",
"lang": "Tagalog",
"sense": "disrespectful manner",
"word": "sa walang kabuluhan"
}
]
}
],
"sounds": [
{
"audio": "En-au-in vain.ogg",
"mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/f/f2/En-au-in_vain.ogg/En-au-in_vain.ogg.mp3",
"ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f2/En-au-in_vain.ogg",
"tags": [
"Australia"
],
"text": "Audio (AU)"
}
],
"word": "in vain"
}
{
"forms": [
{
"form": "more in vain",
"tags": [
"comparative"
]
},
{
"form": "most in vain",
"tags": [
"superlative"
]
}
],
"head_templates": [
{
"args": {},
"expansion": "in vain (comparative more in vain, superlative most in vain)",
"name": "en-adj"
}
],
"lang": "English",
"lang_code": "en",
"pos": "adj",
"senses": [
{
"categories": [
{
"_dis": "47 38 14",
"kind": "other",
"name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
"parents": [
"Entries with incorrect language header",
"Entry maintenance"
],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "49 32 20",
"kind": "other",
"name": "English entries with language name categories using raw markup",
"parents": [
"Entries with language name categories using raw markup",
"Entry maintenance"
],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "56 30 14",
"kind": "other",
"name": "English terms with non-redundant non-automated sortkeys",
"parents": [
"Terms with non-redundant non-automated sortkeys",
"Entry maintenance"
],
"source": "w+disamb"
}
],
"examples": [
{
"text": "Their efforts were in vain and he succumbed to his injuries."
},
{
"ref": "2012, N.H. Pijls, Maximal Myocardial Perfusion as a Measure of the Functional Significance of Coronary Artery Disease",
"text": "The problems concerning contrast induced hyperemia and the in vain efforts to search for a contrast agent not influencing flow […]",
"type": "quotation"
}
],
"glosses": [
"Unsuccessful, failed."
],
"id": "en-in_vain-en-adj-5QJICbJ3",
"links": [
[
"Unsuccessful",
"unsuccessful"
],
[
"failed",
"failed"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(idiomatic) Unsuccessful, failed."
],
"tags": [
"idiomatic"
],
"translations": [
{
"code": "eo",
"lang": "Esperanto",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "sensolva"
},
{
"code": "eo",
"lang": "Esperanto",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "vana"
}
]
}
],
"sounds": [
{
"audio": "En-au-in vain.ogg",
"mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/f/f2/En-au-in_vain.ogg/En-au-in_vain.ogg.mp3",
"ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f2/En-au-in_vain.ogg",
"tags": [
"Australia"
],
"text": "Audio (AU)"
}
],
"word": "in vain"
}
{
"categories": [
"English adjectives",
"English adverbs",
"English entries with incorrect language header",
"English entries with language name categories using raw markup",
"English lemmas",
"English multiword terms",
"English prepositional phrases",
"English terms with audio links",
"English terms with non-redundant non-automated sortkeys"
],
"forms": [
{
"form": "more in vain",
"tags": [
"comparative"
]
},
{
"form": "most in vain",
"tags": [
"superlative"
]
}
],
"head_templates": [
{
"args": {},
"expansion": "in vain (comparative more in vain, superlative most in vain)",
"name": "en-adv"
}
],
"lang": "English",
"lang_code": "en",
"pos": "adv",
"related": [
{
"word": "Richard of York gave battle in vain"
},
{
"word": "take someone's name in vain"
}
],
"senses": [
{
"categories": [
"English idioms",
"English terms with quotations"
],
"examples": [
{
"text": "19th c., Friedrich Nietzsche\nOn the mountains of truth you can never climb in vain."
},
{
"ref": "1956 [1880], Johanna Spyri, Heidi, translation of original by Eileen Hall, page 46",
"text": "For some time Grannie tried in vain to comfort her.",
"type": "quotation"
},
{
"ref": "1960 March, J. P. Wilson, E. N. C. Haywood, “The route through the Peak: Derby to Manchester. Part One”, in Trains Illustrated, page 149",
"text": "All these great plans were in vain, however, for in the cold dawn following the \"Mania\" years of 1845–46 the M.B.M. & M.J.R. project was truncated to an 11+¹⁄₂-mile line from Ambergate to Rowsley.",
"type": "quotation"
}
],
"glosses": [
"Without success or a result; ending in failure."
],
"links": [
[
"success",
"success"
],
[
"result",
"result"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(idiomatic) Without success or a result; ending in failure."
],
"tags": [
"idiomatic"
]
},
{
"categories": [
"English idioms",
"English terms with quotations"
],
"examples": [
{
"ref": "1817, Sir Walter Scott, Rob Roy, published 2015, page 4",
"text": "Methinks I see him even now in my mind's eye;— the firm and upright figure,— the step, quick and determined, — the eye, which shot so keen and so penetrating a glance,— the features on which care had already planted wrinkles, and hear his language, in which he never wasted word in vain, expressed in a voice which had sometimes an occasional harshness, far from the intention of the speaker.",
"type": "quotation"
},
{
"ref": "2013, Mandy Merck, The Sexual Subject: Screen Reader in Sexuality",
"text": "A fetishist regime attempts to annul the separation of image and spectator, to reinstall an immediate relation that promises (in vain) to provide satisfaction to desire itself.",
"type": "quotation"
},
{
"ref": "2015, Kent Gramm, The Prayer of Jesus: A Reading of the Lord’s Prayer, page 69",
"text": "This petition is the reverse side of the commandment against taking God's name in vain.",
"type": "quotation"
},
{
"ref": "2015, Jimmy R. Watson, Big Jesus: A Pastor’s Struggle with Christology, page 119",
"text": "McLaren's task, it seems, is to set Jesus in a more appropriate and biblical context so that we won't use his name “in vain.”",
"type": "quotation"
},
{
"ref": "2016, Alexandre Dumas, translated by Frank J. Morlock, The Count of Monte Cristo, Part IV (play), page 247",
"text": "That's fine. I know you won't engage your word in vain.",
"type": "quotation"
}
],
"glosses": [
"In a disrespectful manner, without honoring the proper meaning; insincerely or without proper respect."
],
"links": [
[
"disrespectful",
"disrespectful"
],
[
"insincerely",
"insincerely"
],
[
"respect",
"respect"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(idiomatic) In a disrespectful manner, without honoring the proper meaning; insincerely or without proper respect."
],
"tags": [
"idiomatic"
]
}
],
"sounds": [
{
"audio": "En-au-in vain.ogg",
"mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/f/f2/En-au-in_vain.ogg/En-au-in_vain.ogg.mp3",
"ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f2/En-au-in_vain.ogg",
"tags": [
"Australia"
],
"text": "Audio (AU)"
}
],
"synonyms": [
{
"word": "vainly"
}
],
"translations": [
{
"code": "ar",
"lang": "Arabic",
"roman": "ʕabaṯan",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "عَبَثًا"
},
{
"code": "ar",
"lang": "Arabic",
"roman": "sudan",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "سُدًى"
},
{
"code": "hy",
"lang": "Armenian",
"roman": "zur",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "զուր"
},
{
"code": "hy",
"lang": "Armenian",
"roman": "izur",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "իզուր"
},
{
"code": "be",
"lang": "Belarusian",
"roman": "darémna",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "дарэ́мна"
},
{
"code": "be",
"lang": "Belarusian",
"roman": "darmá",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "дарма́"
},
{
"code": "be",
"lang": "Belarusian",
"roman": "márna",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "ма́рна"
},
{
"code": "bg",
"lang": "Bulgarian",
"roman": "naprazno",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "напразно"
},
{
"code": "ca",
"lang": "Catalan",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "en va"
},
{
"code": "cmn",
"lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
"roman": "túrán",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "徒然"
},
{
"code": "cmn",
"lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
"roman": "báibái",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "白白"
},
{
"code": "cmn",
"lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "無益"
},
{
"code": "cmn",
"lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
"roman": "wúyì",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "无益"
},
{
"code": "cmn",
"lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "徒勞"
},
{
"code": "cmn",
"lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
"roman": "túláo",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "徒劳"
},
{
"code": "chn",
"lang": "Chinook Jargon",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "k'ax̣chi"
},
{
"code": "cs",
"lang": "Czech",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "neúspěšně"
},
{
"code": "nl",
"lang": "Dutch",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "tevergeefs"
},
{
"code": "nl",
"lang": "Dutch",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "vergeefs"
},
{
"code": "eo",
"lang": "Esperanto",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "sensolve"
},
{
"code": "eo",
"lang": "Esperanto",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "vane"
},
{
"code": "fi",
"lang": "Finnish",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "turhaan"
},
{
"code": "fi",
"lang": "Finnish",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "tarpeettomasti"
},
{
"code": "fi",
"lang": "Finnish",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "tarpeetta"
},
{
"code": "fr",
"lang": "French",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "en vain"
},
{
"code": "fr",
"lang": "French",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "inutilement"
},
{
"code": "gl",
"lang": "Galician",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "en balde"
},
{
"code": "gl",
"lang": "Galician",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "en van"
},
{
"code": "de",
"lang": "German",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "vergebens"
},
{
"code": "de",
"lang": "German",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "vergeblich"
},
{
"code": "de",
"lang": "German",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "umsonst"
},
{
"code": "el",
"lang": "Greek",
"roman": "mátaia",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "μάταια"
},
{
"code": "el",
"lang": "Greek",
"roman": "tou kákou",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "του κάκου"
},
{
"code": "el",
"lang": "Greek",
"roman": "eis mátin",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "εις μάτην"
},
{
"code": "el",
"lang": "Greek",
"roman": "epí mataío",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "επί ματαίω"
},
{
"code": "grc",
"lang": "Ancient Greek",
"roman": "mátēn",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "μάτην"
},
{
"code": "grc",
"lang": "Ancient Greek",
"roman": "hálion",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "ἅλιον"
},
{
"code": "grc",
"lang": "Ancient Greek",
"roman": "máps",
"sense": "without success",
"tags": [
"Epic"
],
"word": "μάψ"
},
{
"code": "hu",
"lang": "Hungarian",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "hiába"
},
{
"code": "hu",
"lang": "Hungarian",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "hasztalan"
},
{
"code": "hu",
"lang": "Hungarian",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "hasztalanul"
},
{
"code": "is",
"lang": "Icelandic",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "til einskis"
},
{
"code": "is",
"lang": "Icelandic",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "árangurslaus"
},
{
"code": "is",
"lang": "Icelandic",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "unnið fyrir gýg"
},
{
"code": "izh",
"lang": "Ingrian",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "turhaa"
},
{
"code": "it",
"lang": "Italian",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "invano"
},
{
"alt": "むえきの",
"code": "ja",
"lang": "Japanese",
"roman": "mueki no",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "無益の"
},
{
"code": "kk",
"lang": "Kazakh",
"roman": "beker",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "бекер"
},
{
"code": "ko",
"lang": "Korean",
"roman": "heotdoei",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "헛되이"
},
{
"code": "ckb",
"lang": "Central Kurdish",
"roman": "badawe",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "باداوە"
},
{
"code": "la",
"lang": "Latin",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "in cassum"
},
{
"code": "la",
"lang": "Latin",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "futtile"
},
{
"code": "la",
"lang": "Latin",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "frustrā"
},
{
"code": "la",
"lang": "Latin",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "in vānum"
},
{
"code": "ml",
"lang": "Malayalam",
"roman": "vr̥thā",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "വൃഥാ"
},
{
"code": "ml",
"lang": "Malayalam",
"roman": "veṟute",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "വെറുതെ"
},
{
"code": "mnc",
"lang": "Manchu",
"roman": "mekele",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "ᠮᡝᡴᡝᠯᡝ"
},
{
"code": "mi",
"lang": "Maori",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "parau"
},
{
"code": "mi",
"lang": "Maori",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "paraurehe"
},
{
"code": "mi",
"lang": "Maori",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "huakore"
},
{
"code": "nv",
"lang": "Navajo",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "chʼééh"
},
{
"code": "nb",
"lang": "Norwegian Bokmål",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "forgjeves"
},
{
"code": "nb",
"lang": "Norwegian Bokmål",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "fånyttes"
},
{
"code": "nn",
"lang": "Norwegian Nynorsk",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "forgjeves"
},
{
"code": "ang",
"lang": "Old English",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "on īdel"
},
{
"code": "pdt",
"lang": "Plautdietsch",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "vejäfs"
},
{
"code": "pl",
"lang": "Polish",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "daremnie"
},
{
"code": "pl",
"lang": "Polish",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "na darmo"
},
{
"code": "pl",
"lang": "Polish",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "na próżno"
},
{
"code": "pl",
"lang": "Polish",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "bezskutecznie"
},
{
"code": "pt",
"lang": "Portuguese",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "em vão"
},
{
"code": "pt",
"lang": "Portuguese",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "inutilmente"
},
{
"code": "ro",
"lang": "Romanian",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "degeaba"
},
{
"code": "ro",
"lang": "Romanian",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "în zadar"
},
{
"code": "ru",
"lang": "Russian",
"roman": "naprásno",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "напра́сно"
},
{
"code": "ru",
"lang": "Russian",
"roman": "zrja",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "зря"
},
{
"code": "ru",
"lang": "Russian",
"roman": "dárom",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "да́ром"
},
{
"code": "ru",
"lang": "Russian",
"roman": "tščétno",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "тще́тно"
},
{
"code": "ru",
"lang": "Russian",
"roman": "vpustúju",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "впусту́ю"
},
{
"code": "ru",
"lang": "Russian",
"roman": "vsúje",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "всу́е"
},
{
"code": "ru",
"lang": "Russian",
"roman": "zrja",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "зря"
},
{
"code": "ru",
"lang": "Russian",
"roman": "bezuspéšno",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "безуспе́шно"
},
{
"code": "ru",
"english": "to no purpose",
"lang": "Russian",
"roman": "pópustu",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "по́пусту"
},
{
"code": "sh",
"lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "ȕzalūd"
},
{
"code": "sh",
"lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "ȕzalūdno"
},
{
"code": "sl",
"lang": "Slovene",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "zamàn"
},
{
"code": "es",
"lang": "Spanish",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "en vano"
},
{
"code": "es",
"lang": "Spanish",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "en balde"
},
{
"code": "es",
"lang": "Spanish",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "inútilmente"
},
{
"code": "sv",
"lang": "Swedish",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "förgäves"
},
{
"code": "tl",
"lang": "Tagalog",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "lihing"
},
{
"code": "tr",
"lang": "Turkish",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "boşuna"
},
{
"code": "uk",
"lang": "Ukrainian",
"roman": "márno",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "ма́рно"
},
{
"code": "uk",
"lang": "Ukrainian",
"roman": "darémno",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "даре́мно"
},
{
"code": "uk",
"lang": "Ukrainian",
"roman": "darmá",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "дарма́"
},
{
"code": "vi",
"lang": "Vietnamese",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "hoài"
},
{
"code": "fi",
"lang": "Finnish",
"sense": "disrespectful manner",
"word": "turhaan"
},
{
"code": "fr",
"lang": "French",
"sense": "disrespectful manner",
"word": "à la légère"
},
{
"code": "gl",
"lang": "Galician",
"sense": "disrespectful manner",
"word": "en van"
},
{
"code": "de",
"lang": "German",
"sense": "disrespectful manner",
"word": "eitel"
},
{
"code": "de",
"lang": "German",
"sense": "disrespectful manner",
"word": "lästerlich"
},
{
"code": "de",
"lang": "German",
"sense": "disrespectful manner",
"word": "missbräuchlich"
},
{
"code": "de",
"lang": "German",
"sense": "disrespectful manner",
"word": "respektlos"
},
{
"code": "grc",
"lang": "Ancient Greek",
"roman": "epì mataíōi",
"sense": "disrespectful manner",
"word": "ἐπὶ ματαίῳ"
},
{
"code": "hu",
"lang": "Hungarian",
"sense": "disrespectful manner",
"word": "hiába"
},
{
"code": "hu",
"lang": "Hungarian",
"sense": "disrespectful manner",
"word": "tiszteletlenül"
},
{
"code": "hu",
"lang": "Hungarian",
"sense": "disrespectful manner",
"word": "illetlenül"
},
{
"code": "is",
"lang": "Icelandic",
"sense": "disrespectful manner",
"word": "í hégóma"
},
{
"code": "it",
"lang": "Italian",
"sense": "disrespectful manner",
"tags": [
"masculine"
],
"word": "invano"
},
{
"code": "it",
"lang": "Italian",
"sense": "disrespectful manner",
"word": "alla leggera"
},
{
"code": "it",
"lang": "Italian",
"sense": "disrespectful manner",
"word": "disdicevolmente"
},
{
"code": "pl",
"lang": "Polish",
"sense": "disrespectful manner",
"word": "nadaremno"
},
{
"code": "es",
"lang": "Spanish",
"sense": "disrespectful manner",
"word": "a la ligera"
},
{
"code": "tl",
"lang": "Tagalog",
"sense": "disrespectful manner",
"word": "sa walang kabuluhan"
}
],
"word": "in vain"
}
{
"categories": [
"English adjectives",
"English adverbs",
"English entries with incorrect language header",
"English entries with language name categories using raw markup",
"English lemmas",
"English multiword terms",
"English prepositional phrases",
"English terms with audio links",
"English terms with non-redundant non-automated sortkeys"
],
"forms": [
{
"form": "more in vain",
"tags": [
"comparative"
]
},
{
"form": "most in vain",
"tags": [
"superlative"
]
}
],
"head_templates": [
{
"args": {},
"expansion": "in vain (comparative more in vain, superlative most in vain)",
"name": "en-adj"
}
],
"lang": "English",
"lang_code": "en",
"pos": "adj",
"senses": [
{
"categories": [
"English idioms",
"English terms with quotations"
],
"examples": [
{
"text": "Their efforts were in vain and he succumbed to his injuries."
},
{
"ref": "2012, N.H. Pijls, Maximal Myocardial Perfusion as a Measure of the Functional Significance of Coronary Artery Disease",
"text": "The problems concerning contrast induced hyperemia and the in vain efforts to search for a contrast agent not influencing flow […]",
"type": "quotation"
}
],
"glosses": [
"Unsuccessful, failed."
],
"links": [
[
"Unsuccessful",
"unsuccessful"
],
[
"failed",
"failed"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(idiomatic) Unsuccessful, failed."
],
"tags": [
"idiomatic"
]
}
],
"sounds": [
{
"audio": "En-au-in vain.ogg",
"mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/f/f2/En-au-in_vain.ogg/En-au-in_vain.ogg.mp3",
"ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f2/En-au-in_vain.ogg",
"tags": [
"Australia"
],
"text": "Audio (AU)"
}
],
"translations": [
{
"code": "eo",
"lang": "Esperanto",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "sensolva"
},
{
"code": "eo",
"lang": "Esperanto",
"sense": "without success",
"word": "vana"
}
],
"word": "in vain"
}
This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-06-04 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-05-02 using wiktextract (e9e0a99 and db5a844). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.
If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.