vain English · revision 39937

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1300|origins=la vānus}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /veɪn/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|vein]], also [[m|enm|vain]] and [[m|enm|veine]],^(MED)^(MWU 2024) [[bor|fro|vain]], also [[m|fro|vein]],^(OED 2026)^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Klein 1966) [[inh|la|vānus|t=empty, void; idle, fruitless]].^(OED 2026)^(Etymonline)^(AHD 2024)^(Hoad 1986) The Anglo-Norman form is recorded from the early 12th century, already with the senses "empty", "worthless", "futile" and "of no effect".^(AND) The Latin adjective is the source of [[m|it|vano]], [[m|es|vano]] and [[m|pt|vão]],^(OED 2026)^(Klein 1966) and is related to [[m|la|vacuus|t=empty]], the source of [[vacuum]].^(Ayto 2005)^(Hoad 1986) Etymonline derives it from a suffixed form of [[ine-pro|*eue-|t=to leave, abandon, give out]],^(Etymonline)^(AHD 2024) and Klein compares [[grc|εὖνις|tr=eûnis|t=bereaved of]].^(Klein 1966) The phrase [[in vain]] follows [[m|fro|en vain]] and [[m|la|in vānum]].^(Hoad 1986)^(Etymonline)^(MED)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Without real value or effect; worthless, idle, fruitless: before 1300, in the ''Cursor Mundi'',^(OED 2026) about 1300 in Etymonline.^(Etymonline) Barnhart finds the word implied in ''veine gloire'', [[vainglory]], probably before 1200, and then in the phrase ''in veyn'', uselessly, about 1300.^(Barnhart 1995)^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The older sense "worthless, futile" survives in the phrase ''in vain'', recorded from before 1300.^(OED 2026)^(Etymonline) In Middle English the word could also keep the literal Latin sense "empty, void": the Wycliffite Bible of 1382 says that the earth was ''veyn withinne and voyde''.^(Etymonline)^(OED 2026) From 1390, in Gower, it was used of people for "foolish, silly, thoughtless", a sense now rare.^(OED 2026)^(Etymonline) The modern sense, "too proud of one's looks or achievements", appears only in 1692, in Dryden's ''Eleonora'',^(OED 2026)^(Barnhart 1988) although Barnhart sees it implied much earlier in ''vainglory''.^(Barnhart 1988) Ayto likewise dates the main modern meaning to the 17th century.^(Ayto 2005) The phrase ''take someone's name in vain'', to utter the name of God lightly or profanely, comes from the Wycliffite Bible's version of the Third Commandment (1382),^(OED 2026) and later came to mean simply mentioning someone casually.^(OED 2026)^(Collins 2023) Johnson (1755) listed "fruitless, ineffectual" first, and "empty, unreal" second.^(Johnson 1755) The noun ''vain'', vanity or a vain thing, was used from about 1330 to the 18th century.^(OED 2026)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * before 1200 – implied in ''veine gloire'', vainglory.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * before 1300 – worthless, useless, fruitless, also in the phrase in vain.^(OED 2026)

+ * c. 1330 – noun, a vain thing, vanity (now obsolete).^(OED 2026)

+ * 1382 – empty, void (now obsolete); ''take the name of God in vain''.^(OED 2026)

+ * 1390 – of people, foolish, silly.^(OED 2026)

+ * 1692 – conceited, proud of one's appearance or abilities.^(OED 2026)^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1731 – trivial, unimportant.^(OED 2026)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Too [[proud]] of one's looks, abilities or possessions; [[conceited]]: ''He was too vain to wear his glasses in public.''^(Collins 2023)^(MWU 2024)

+ # Having no result; [[futile]] or unsuccessful: ''Their vain attempts to start the engine drained the battery.''^(Collins 2023)^(MWU 2024)

+ # Having no real value or substance; empty or [[worthless]]: ''vain promises''.^(Collins 2023)^(OED 2026)

+ # ''in vain'': without success; to no purpose: ''She searched in vain for her keys.''^(Collins 2023)^(MWU 2024)

+ # ''take someone's name in vain'': to speak the name of God without respect; humorously, to mention a person's name.^(Collins 2023)^(OED 2026)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[vainly]]

+ * [[vainness]]

+ * [[unvain]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[vanity]]

+ * [[vainglory]]

+ * [[vanish]]

+ * [[vaunt]]

+ * [[evanescent]]

+ * [[vacuum]]

+ * [[wane]]

+ * [[want]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}