vain /veɪn/ CET4 TEM4 ( vainer, vainest )

• 1. 

  ADJ A vain attempt or action is one that fails to achieve what was intended. 徒劳的 [ADJ n]

  例：

  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。

• 2. 

  vainly ADV 徒劳地 [ADV with v]

  例：

  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。

• 3. 

  ADJ 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 [ADJ n]

  例：

  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。

• 4. 

  vainly ADV 徒然地 [ADV with v]

  例：

  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。

• 5. 

  ADJ 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 [表不满]

  例：

  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。

• 6. 

  PHRASE If you do something in vain, you do not succeed in achieving what you intend. 徒然

  例：

  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。

• 7. 

  PHRASE 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

  例：

  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。