in vain hope

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• vain hope — false hope, dream that has no hope of being fulfilled, illusion …   English contemporary dictionary

• vain — [ veın ] adjective * 1. ) someone who is vain is very proud and thinks they are very attractive or special: CONCEITED: He was vain about his looks, spending hours in the gym. 2. ) unsuccessful or useless: a vain attempt/bid/effort: They made a… …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

• vain — [[t]ve͟ɪn[/t]] vainer, vainest 1) ADJ: ADJ n A vain attempt or action is one that fails to achieve what was intended. The drafting committee worked through the night in a vain attempt to finish on schedule... I was singing in a vain effort to… …   English dictionary

• vain */ — UK [veɪn] / US adjective Word forms vain : adjective vain comparative vainer superlative vainest 1) showing disapproval someone who is vain is very proud and thinks they are very attractive or special He was vain about his looks, spending hours… …   English dictionary

• vain — adj. 1 excessively proud or conceited, esp. about one s own attributes. 2 empty, trivial, unsubstantial (vain boasts; vain triumphs). 3 useless; followed by no good result (in the vain hope of dissuading them). Phrases and idioms: in vain without …   Useful english dictionary

• vain — [veın] adj [Date: 1300 1400; : Old French; Origin: Latin vanus empty, vain ] 1.) someone who is vain is too proud of their good looks, abilities, or position used to show disapproval = ↑conceited ▪ Men can be just as vain as women. see usage note …   Dictionary of contemporary English

• hope — I n. 1) to arouse, inspire, stir up hope 2) to raise smb. s hopes 3) to express, voice a hope 4) to cherish, entertain, nurse a hope 5) to pin, place, put one s hopes on 6) to dash, deflate, dispel; thwart smb. s hopes 7) to abandon, give up hope …   Combinatory dictionary

• vain — adjective 1 someone who is vain is very proud of their good looks, abilities, or position; conceited 2 in vain without success in spite of your efforts: I tried in vain to get Sue to come with us. 3 vain attempt/hope/effort etc an attempt, hope… …   Longman dictionary of contemporary English

• hope — {{Roman}}I.{{/Roman}} noun 1 belief that sth you want will happen ADJECTIVE ▪ deep (esp. AmE), fervent, great ▪ a feeling of considerable hope ▪ It is my fervent hope that you will be able to take this project forward …   Collocations dictionary

• hope — hope1 W1S1 [həup US houp] v [I and T] [: Old English; Origin: hopian] 1.) to want something to happen or be true and to believe that it is possible or likely hope (that) ▪ We hope that more women will decide to join the course. ▪ I do hope… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

• hope */*/*/ — I UK [həʊp] / US [hoʊp] verb Word forms hope : present tense I/you/we/they hope he/she/it hopes present participle hoping past tense hoped past participle hoped [intransitive/transitive] to want and expect something to happen or be true hope… …   English dictionary