英 [veɪn] 美 [veɪn]
adj. 虚荣的，自负的；徒劳的
vain /veɪn/ CET4 TEM4 [ vainer vainest ]
形容词 A vain attempt or action is one that fails to achieve what was intended. 徒劳的
The drafting committee worked through the night in a vain attempt to finish on schedule.
起草委员会徒劳地通宵工作想按期完成工作。
副词 徒劳地
He hunted vainly through his pockets for a piece of paper.
他徒劳地摸索着自己的口袋想找到一张纸。
形容词 If you describe a hope that something will happen as a vain hope, you mean that there is no chance of it happening. 徒然的
He married his fourth wife, Susan, in the vain hope that she would improve his health.
他怀着她能改善自己健康的徒然希望娶了第4个妻子苏珊。
副词 徒然地
He then set out for Virginia for what he vainly hoped would be a peaceful retirement.
于是他出发前往弗吉尼亚，徒然地希望这会是一次平静的引退。
形容词 If you describe someone as vain, you are critical of their extreme pride in their own beauty, intelligence, or other good qualities. 自负的
He wasn't so vain as to think he was smarter than his boss.
他还没有自负到以为他比自己的上司还精明。
习语 If you do something in vain, you do not succeed in achieving what you intend. 徒然
He stopped at the door, waiting in vain for her to acknowledge his presence.
他停在门口，徒然地等着她跟自己打招呼。
习语 If you say that something such as someone's death, suffering, or effort was in vain, you mean that it was useless because it did not achieve anything. 无意义的
He wants the world to know his son did not die in vain.
他想让世人知道他儿子的死不是毫无意义的。
characteristic of false pride; having an exaggerated sense of self-importance
vain about her clothes
同义词： conceited / egotistic / egotistical / self-conceited / swollen / swollen-headed
徒劳的；虚荣的；空虚的-引用次数：4
... unnecessary a.不必要的,无用的,无益的 vain a.徒劳的；自负的，爱虚荣的 valid a.有确实根据的,有效的,正当的,正确的 ...
... vacant a.未被占用的；空缺的；茫然的 vain a.徒劳的；自负的 valid a.有效(力)的；强壮的 ...
... vain白费的，虚荣的 vary变异；变革 vice缺陷；替代的；副的 ...
... familial 家庭的 vain 无用的，虚荣的 vein 面纱; 掩饰 ...
vainglorious 虚荣心强的；非常自负的
vainly 徒劳地；无益地；枉然地
vainglory 虚荣；自负
He was vain and bombastic.
他既虚荣又浮夸。
He was self-important, vain and ignorant.
他自大、虚荣、而且无知。
I think he is shallow, vain and untrustworthy.
我认为他浅薄、虚荣、不可信。
It is rather for us,the living, we here be dedicated to the great task remaining before us - that,from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they here, gave the last full measure of devotion - that we here highly resolve these dead shall not have died in vain;
VOA : special.2011.02.07
"For we assert," he says, "nature does nothing in vain and man alone " among the animals has speech.
他说，“因为我们主张自然演变并不无道理,而人类独立于其它动物之外,是因为我们有辩论能力。
政治哲学导论课程节选 : 耶鲁公开课
Courage was mine, and I had mystery, Wisdom was mine, and I had mastery: To miss the march of this retreating world Into vain citadels that are not walled.
勇敢是我与生俱来的神秘，智慧是我熟稔于心的能力：,因为错过撤退的行军队列,没能和他们一起进入空虚的没有围墙的大本营。
现代诗歌课程节选 : 耶鲁公开课
Abraham Lincoln, sixteenth President of these United States, is everlasting in the memory of his countrymen, for on the battleground at Gettysburg this is what he said: He said: "That from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion: that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain;
VOA : special.2011.02.07
It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain that this nation,under God, shall have a new birth of freedom and that government of the people, by the people,for the people, shall not perish from the earth."
VOA : special.2009.11.12
"People looked at it as eSpeed's vain attempt to stop their momentum, " says a veteran trader.
In vain has it touted the completed or continuing trials of 111 other defendants.
Some of these were contained electronically so much of the shredding was in vain.