vainer; vainest
vainer; vainest
Learner's definition of VAIN
1
[also more vain; most vain] : too proud of your own appearance, abilities, achievements, etc. : conceited自负的;自视过高的 2
: having no success : not producing a desired result徒劳的;无结果的 -
They made a vain [=unsuccessful] attempt to escape.他们试图逃跑,却未成功。
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A vain effort to quell the public's fears only made matters worse.旨在消除公众恐惧的努力毫无结果,反而把事情变得更糟了。
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Volunteers searched the area in the vain hope of finding clues.志愿者搜索了这个区域,但想找到线索的希望却落空了。
in vain
: without success : without producing a good or desired result徒劳无益;白费力气 -
We searched in vain for the missing earring. [=we searched for the missing earring but did not find it]我们寻找丢失的耳环,不过是白费力气。
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He tried in vain to get the baby to sleep.他努力想哄宝宝入睡,却是徒劳一场。
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Her suffering will not be in vain. [=something good will happen because of her suffering]她不会白白受苦的。
take someone's name in vain
: to use (a name, especially the name of God) in a way that does not show proper respect滥用某人(尤指上帝)的名义