English
Etymology
From ME. vain < Old French vain < Latin vanus|v�nus, "empty"
Pronunciation
IPA|/veɪn/
AHD|/v�n/
audio|en-us-vain.ogg|Audio (US)
Rhymes: Rhymes:English:-eɪn|-eɪn
Adjective
en-adj|er|more
- overly proud of oneself, especially when concerning appearance
#* Leo Rosten:
#*:Every writer is a narcissist. This does not mean that he is vain; it only means that he is hopelessly self-absorbed.
- having very little substance
- pointless, futile
#* William of Occam:
#*:It is vain to do with more what can be done with fewer.
Translations
trans-top|overly proud of one's appearance
Dutch: ijdel
Finnish: turhamainen
trans-mid
Scottish Gaelic: mòr à (s), sgòideasach, sgòideil, uaibhreach, uailleach
trans-bottom
trans-top|based on very little substance
trans-mid
Scottish Gaelic: faoin
trans-bottom
trans-top|pointless, futile
Finnish: turha, tyhjä
trans-mid
Scottish Gaelic: faoin
trans-bottom
Homophones
vane
vein
Related terms
in vain
vainness
vainly
vanity
shallow
Category:English homophones
Finnish
Adverb
vain
- only, merely, exclusively, solely, just
Category:Finnish adverbs
French
Adjective
vain
- useless, ineffective
Synonyms
inutile
Related terms
vanité
vaniteux
Category:French adjectives
zh-min-nan:vain
de:vain
fr:vain
io:vain
id:vain
it:vain
hu:vain
fi:vain
sv:vain
ta:vain
te:vain
vi:vain
zh:vain
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