| Front | vain |
|---|---|
| Back | vain /veɪn/ adjective 1someone who is vain is too proud of their good looks, abilities, or position – used to show disapproval SYN conceited: Men can be just as vain as women. 2in vain a)without success in spite of your efforts: Police searched in vain for the missing gunman. b)without purpose or without positive results: Altman swore that his son’s death would not be in vain. → take sb’s name in vain at name1(12) 3a vain attempt, hope, or search fails to achieve the result you wanted vain attempt/effort/bid The young mother died in a vain attempt to save her drowning son. 4vain threat/promise etc literary a threat, promise etc that is not worrying because the person cannot do what they say they will —vainly adverb: The instructor struggled vainly to open his parachute. COLLOCATIONS nouns a vain attempt/bid/effort People close their windows at night in a vain attempt to shut out the sound of gunfire. a vain hope Young men moved south in the vain hope of finding work. a vain search Mothers have been to every shop in town in a vain search for the toy. THESAURUS proud very pleased with what you, your family, or your country have achieved, or of something you own: I felt so proud when my son graduated from college. | Judith’s very proud of her new Ferrari. pleased with yourself feeling pleased because something good has happened, especially because you think you have been very clever, skilful etc: He was smoking a big cigar and was obviously pleased with himself. | I’d made a big profit and was feeling pretty pleased with myself. arrogant disapproving behaving in an unpleasant and annoying way, because you think you are better or know more than other people, and that your opinions are always right: He was arrogant and regarded people who disagreed with him as fools. | his arrogant attitude to women vain disapproving too proud of your appearance, in a way that annoys other people: He’s so vain – he thinks all the girls fancy him. conceited/big-headed disapproving proud of yourself because you think you are very intelligent, skilful, beautiful etc, especially without good reason and in a way that annoys people: Stewart’s the most arrogant conceited person I’ve ever known. | She was offered a brilliant job and became incredibly big-headed overnight. pompous disapproving thinking that you are much more important than you really are, and using very long and formal words to try to sound important: The clerk was a pompous little man with glasses. | a pompous speech smug disapproving pleased with yourself in a quiet but annoying way because you think you are in a better position than other people: Milly was looking very smug about coming top of the class. | a smug expression self-satisfied disapproving pleased with what you have achieved and showing it clearly in an annoying way: She glared angrily into his self-satisfied face. | a self-satisfied grin |
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