Nothing vs Vain - What's the difference?
nothing | vain |
Not any thing; no thing.
*
* , chapter=19
, title= * {{quote-magazine, date=2013-07-19, author=(Peter Wilby)
, volume=189, issue=6, page=30, magazine=(The Guardian Weekly)
, title= An absence of anything, including empty space, brightness, darkness, matter, or a vacuum.
(slang, in double negatives) Anything
Something trifling, or of no consequence or importance.
* Jeremy Taylor
A trivial remark (especially in the term (sweet nothings)).
A nobody (insignificant person).
(archaic) Not at all; in no way.
*
Overly proud of oneself, especially concerning appearance; having a high opinion of one's own accomplishments with slight reason.
* (rfdate) Leo Rosten
Having no real substance, value, or importance; empty; void; worthless; unsatisfying.
* (William Shakespeare) (1564-1616)
* Bible, (w) v. 6
* (John Milton) (1608-1674)
Effecting no purpose; pointless, futile.
* (John Dryden) (1631-1700)
* (rfdate) William of Occam
*{{quote-book, year=1922, author=(Ben Travers)
, chapter=6, title= Showy; ostentatious.
* (Alexander Pope) (1688-1744)
As a pronoun nothing
is not any thing; no thing.As a noun nothing
is something trifling, or of no consequence or importance.As an adverb nothing
is not at all; in no way.As an adjective vain is
overly proud of oneself, especially concerning appearance; having a high opinion of one's own accomplishments with slight reason.nothing
English
Alternative forms
* (nonstandard) nuffin, nuffink, nuttin'Pronoun
(wikipedia nothing) (English Pronouns)The Mirror and the Lamp, passage=Nothing was too small to receive attention, if a supervising eye could suggest improvements likely to conduce to the common welfare. Mr. Gordon Burnage, for instance, personally visited dust-bins and back premises, accompanied by a sort of village bailiff, going his round like a commanding officer doing billets.}}
Finland spreads word on schools, passage=Imagine a country where children do nothing but play until they start compulsory schooling at age seven. Then, without exception, they attend comprehensives until the age of 16. Charging school fees is illegal, and so is sorting pupils into ability groups by streaming or setting.}}
- I didn't see nothing. [= I didn't see anything].
Synonyms
* (not any thing) ** (standard) not a thing ** (slang) jack, nada, zip ** (vulgar slang) bugger all, jack shit, sod all (British), fuck all ** (Northern English dialect) nowt :: See * (something trifling) nothing of any consequence, nothing consequential, nothing important, nothing significant, something inconsequential, something insignificant, something of no consequence, something trifling, something unimportantAntonyms
* anything * everything * somethingNoun
(en noun)- What happened to your face?'' — ''It's nothing.
- Sermons are not like curious inquiries after new nothings , but pursuances of old truths.
- You're nothing to me now!
Adverb
(-)Derived terms
* benothing * better than nothing * for nothing * if nothing else * it's nothing * have nothing on (someone) * leave nothing in the tank * less than nothing * next to nothing * nothing at all * nothing but * nothing doing * nothingness * nothing succeeds like success * there's nothing to it * think nothing of itSee also
* nobody, no one * nowhereReferences
*vain
English
Adjective
(en-adj)- Every writer is a narcissist. This does not mean that he is vain ; it only means that he is hopelessly self-absorbed.
- thy vain excuse
- Let no man deceive you with vain words.
- Vain wisdom all, and false philosophy.
- Vain is the force of man / To crush the pillars which the pile sustain.
- It is vain to do with more what can be done with fewer.
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.}}
- Load some vain church with old theatric state.
