that does not produce the result you want 徒劳的；枉然的；无结果的 She closed her eyes tightly in a vain attempt to hold back the tears. 她紧闭双眼，却无法忍住眼泪。 🔊🔊 I knocked loudly in the vain hope that someone might answer. 我敲门敲得很响，希望有人应声，却是徒然。 🔊🔊 The government spent billions in a vain bid to prop up the currency. 政府徒劳地花费数十亿美元来支撑货币。
Homophones vain | veinvain veinTopics Difficulty and failurec2🔊/veɪn/🔊/veɪn/- vain adjective
He plunged into the icy water in a vain effort to rescue his dog. 为了挽救他的狗，他徒劳地掉入冰冷的水中。
- vein noun
A vein in her head throbbed when she was angry. 当她生气时，她头上的一个静脉颤动着。
- (disapproving)
too proud of your own appearance, abilities or achievements 自负的；自视过高的 Extra ExamplesTopics Personal qualitiesc1Their flattery made him vain. 他们的吹捧使他自命不凡。 very vain about his looks 他的外表很虚荣 He's so vain! 他太自负了！ I don't think it's vain to care about how you look. 我并不认为注重自己的容貌就是爱慕虚荣。
Word OriginMiddle English (in the sense ‘without real worth’): via Old French from Latin vanus ‘empty, without substance’.
Idioms
in vain
without success 枉费心机；徒劳无益；白费力气 They tried in vain to persuade her to go. 他们极力劝说她去，但枉费了一番口舌。 🔊🔊 She waited in vain for her son to return. 她等着儿子归来，但空等了一场。 All our efforts were in vain. 我们的所有努力都付诸东流了。 🔊🔊
take somebody’s name in vain