futility; ineptitude, inaptitude; unsubservience†; inadequacy &c
(insufficiency) 640; inefficiency, &c (incompetence) 158;
unskillfulness &c 699; disservice; unfruitfulness &c
(unproductiveness).. 169; labor in vain, labor lost, labor of Sisyphus;
lost trouble, lost labor; work of Penelope; sleeveless errand, wild
goose chase, mere farce.
tautology &c (repetition) 104; supererogation &c (redundancy) 641.
vanitas vanitatum [Lat.], vanity, inanity, worthlessness,
nugacity†; triviality &c (unimportance) 643.
caput mortuum [Lat.], waste paper, dead letter; blunt tool.
litter, rubbish, junk, lumber, odds and ends, cast-off clothes;
button top; shoddy; rags, orts†, trash, refuse, sweepings, scourings,
offscourings†, waste, rubble, debris, detritus; stubble, leavings;
broken meat; dregs &c (dirt) 653; weeds, tares; rubbish heap, dust
hole; rudera†, deads†.
fruges consumere natus [Lat.] [Horace].
&c (drone) 683
V. be useless &c adj.; go a begging &c (redundant) 641; fail &c 732.
seek after impossibilities, strive after impossibilities; use vain
efforts, labor in vain, roll the stone of Sisyphus, beat the air, lash
the waves, battre l'eau avec un baton [Fr.], donner un coup d'epee dans
l'eau [Fr.], fish in the air, milk the ram, drop a bucket into an empty
well, sow the sand; bay the moon; preach to the winds, speak to the
winds; whistle jigs to a milestone; kick against the pricks, se battre
contre des moulins [Fr.]; lock the stable door when the steed is
stolen, lock the barn door after the horse is stolen &c (too late) 135;
hold a farthing candle to the sun; cast pearls before swine &c (waste)
638; carry coals to Newcastle &c (redundancy) 641; wash a blackamoor
white &c (impossible) 471.
render useless &c adj.; dismantle, dismast, dismount, disqualify,
disable; unrig; cripple, lame &c (injure) 659; spike guns, clip the
wings; put out of gear.
Adj. useless, inutile, inefficacious, futile, unavailing, bootless;
inoperative &c 158; inadequate &c (insufficient) 640; inservient†,
unsubservient; inept, inefficient &c (impotent) 158; of no avail &c
(use) 644; ineffectual &c (failure) 732; incompetent &c (unskillful)
699; stale, flat and unprofitable; superfluous &c (redundant) 641;
dispensable; thrown away &c (wasted) 638; abortive &c (immature) 674.
worthless, valueless, priceless; unsalable; not worth a straw &c
(trifling) 643, dear at any price.
vain, empty, inane; gainless†, profitless, fruitless;
unserviceable, unprofitable; ill-spent; unproductive &c 169; hors de
combat [Fr.]; effete, past work &c (impaired) 659; obsolete &c (old)
124; fit for the dust hole; good for nothing; of no earthly use; not
worth having, not worth powder and shot; leading to no end, uncalled
for; unnecessary, unneeded.
Adv. uselessly &c adj.; to little purpose, to no purpose, to little or
no purpose.
Int. cui bono? [Lat.]; what's the good!,
Phr. actum ne agas [Lat.]; chercher une aiguille dans une botte de foin
[Fr.]; tanto buon che val niente [It].