followed by
of, and having with that addition the effect of a prepositional phrase; as, the article is
devoid of
sense; the contract is
void for want of consideration.
Waste, in this connection, applies to that which is made
so by devastation or ruin, or gives
an impression of desolation, especially as combined with vastness,
probably from association of the words
waste and vast:
waste is applied also to uncultivated or unproductive
land, if of considerable extent; we speak of a
waste track or region, but not of a
waste city lot.
Vacuous refers
to the condition of being
empty or
vacant, regarded as continuous or characteristic.
Antonyms:
brimful, busy, filled, inhabited,
overflowing, brimmed, crammed, full, jammed, packed, brimming, crowded,
gorged, occupied, replete.
* * * * *
VAIN.
Synonyms:
abortive, futile, shadowy, unsatisfying, baseless, idle, trifling, unserviceable, bootless, inconstant, trivial,
unsubstantial, deceitful, ineffectual, unavailing, useless, delusive, nugatory,
unimportant, vapid, empty, null,
unprofitable, visionary, fruitless, profitless, unreal, worthless.
Vain (L.
vanus, empty) keeps the etymological idea through all changes of meaning; a
vain endeavor is
empty
of result, or of adequate power to produce a result, a
vain pretension is
empty or destitute of support, a
vain
person has a conceit that is
empty or destitute of adequate cause or reason. That which is
bootless,
fruitless, or
profitless fails to accomplish any valuable result; that which is
abortive,
ineffectual, or
unavailing fails to
accomplish
a result that it was, or was supposed to be, adapted to accomplish. That which is
useless,
futile, or
vain is inherently incapable of accomplishing a specified result.
Useless, in the widest sense, signifies not of
use for any valuable purpose, and is thus closely similar to
valueless and
worthless.
Fruitless is more final
than
ineffectual, as applying to the sum or harvest of endeavor. That which is
useless lacks actual fitness for a
purpose; that which is
vain lacks imaginable fitness.
Compare VACANT; OSTENTATION; PRIDE.
Antonyms:
adequate, effective, powerful, solid, useful, advantageous, efficient, profitable, sound, valid, beneficial,
expedient, real, substantial, valuable,
competent, potent, serviceable, sufficient, worthy.
Compare synonyms for UTILITY.
* * * * *
VENAL.
Synonyms:
hireling, mercenary, purchasable, salable.
Venal (L.
venalis, from
venum, sale) signifies ready to sell one's influence, vote, or efforts for money or other
consideration;
mercenary (L.
mercenarius, from
merces, pay, reward) signifies influenced chiefly or only by
desire for gain or reward; thus, etymologically, the
mercenary can
be hired, while the
venal are openly or
actually for sale;
hireling (AS.
hyrling, from
hyr) signifies serving for hire or pay, or having the spirit or
character of one who works or of that which is done directly for hire or pay.
Mercenary has especial
Synonyms and Antonyms, by James Champlin Fernald
290