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Irrational vs Vain - What's the difference?

irrational | vain | Related terms |

Irrational is a related term of vain.


As nouns the difference between irrational and vain

is that irrational is a real number that can not be expressed as the quotient of two integers, an irrational number while vain is .

As an adjective irrational

is not rational; unfounded or nonsensical.

irrational

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Not rational; unfounded or nonsensical.
    • an irrational decision
  • * July 18 2012 , Scott Tobias, AV Club The Dark Knight Rises [http://www.avclub.com/articles/the-dark-knight-rises-review-batman,82624/]
    • Where the Joker preys on our fears of random, irrational acts of terror, Bane has an all-consuming, dictatorial agenda that’s more stable and permanent, a New World Order that’s been planned out with the precision of a military coup.
  • (mathematics, arithmetic, number theory, not comparable) Of a real number, that cannot be written as the ratio of two integers.
    • The number π is irrational .

    Antonyms

    * (mathematics) rational

    Hyponyms

    * (mathematics) transcendental

    Derived terms

    * irrational number * irrationality * irrationalize * irrationalization

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A real number that can not be expressed as the quotient of two integers, an irrational number.
  • * 1946 , (Bertrand Russell), History of Western Philosophy , I.24:
    • The square root of 2, which was the first irrational to be discovered, was known to the early Pythagoreans, and ingenious methods of approximating to its value were discovered.

    vain

    English

    Adjective

    (en-adj)
  • Overly proud of oneself, especially concerning appearance; having a high opinion of one's own accomplishments with slight reason.
  • * (rfdate) Leo Rosten
    • Every writer is a narcissist. This does not mean that he is vain ; it only means that he is hopelessly self-absorbed.
  • Having no real substance, value, or importance; empty; void; worthless; unsatisfying.
  • * (William Shakespeare) (1564-1616)
    • thy vain excuse
  • * Bible, (w) v. 6
    • Let no man deceive you with vain words.
  • * (John Milton) (1608-1674)
    • Vain wisdom all, and false philosophy.
  • Effecting no purpose; pointless, futile.
  • * (John Dryden) (1631-1700)
    • Vain is the force of man / To crush the pillars which the pile sustain.
  • * (rfdate) William of Occam
    • It is vain to do with more what can be done with fewer.
  • *{{quote-book, year=1922, author=(Ben Travers)
    • , chapter=6, title= A Cuckoo in the Nest , passage=But Sophia's mother was not the woman to brook defiance. After a few moments' vain remonstrance her husband complied. His manner and appearance were suggestive of a satiated sea-lion.}}
  • Showy; ostentatious.
  • * (Alexander Pope) (1688-1744)
    • Load some vain church with old theatric state.

    Synonyms

    * (overly proud of oneself) conceited; puffed up; inflated * (pointless) pointless, futile, fruitless, ineffectual * See also * See also

    Derived terms

    * in vain * vainness * vainly

    Related terms

    * vanity

    External links

    * *

    Anagrams

    * English terms with homophones ----