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Useless vs Void - What's the difference?

useless | void |

As adjectives the difference between useless and void

is that useless is without use or possibility to be used while void is containing nothing; empty; vacant; not occupied; not filled.

As a noun void is

an empty space; a vacuum or void can be .

As a verb void is

(label) to make invalid or worthless.

useless

English

Adjective

(en-adj)
  • Without use or possibility to be used.
    • This fork has prongs that are bent. It's useless now.
  • Unhelpful, not useful; pointless (of an action).
    • I think it's useless to keep this discussion going. It's like talking to a wall.
    I tried my best to make him quit smoking, but my efforts were useless . He now smokes six packs a day.
  • (pejorative, of a person) good-for-nothing; not dependable.
    • Bill never mows the lawn, takes out the trash or anything. He's useless , but I love him anyways.
  • (colloquial, of a person) unable to do well at a particular task or thing. Useless is mildly insulting.
    • My brother is useless at most computer games, but he is an awesome PS2 player.
    Why do you keep trying? You're obviously useless at it.

    Synonyms

    * (good-for-nothing) good-for-nothing * (unable to do well) unskillful

    Antonyms

    * skillful, useful

    Derived terms

    * uselessly * uselessness

    void

    English

    (wikipedia void)

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) vuit'', ''voide (modern vide).

    Adjective

    (-)
  • Containing nothing; empty; vacant; not occupied; not filled.
  • * Bible, Genesis i. 2
    • The earth was without form, and void .
  • * Shakespeare
    • I'll get me to a place more void .
  • * Massinger
    • I'll chain him in my study, that, at void hours, / I may run over the story of his country.
  • Having no incumbent; unoccupied; said of offices etc.
  • * Camden
    • divers great offices that had been long void
  • Being without; destitute; devoid.
  • * Bible, Proverbs xi. 12
    • He that is void of wisdom despiseth his neighbor.
  • Not producing any effect; ineffectual; vain.
  • * Bible, Isa. lv. 11
    • [My word] shall not return to me void , but it shall accomplish that which I please.
  • * Bible, Jer. xix. 7
    • I will make void the counsel of Judah.
  • Of no legal force or effect, incapable of confirmation or ratification.
    • null and void
  • Containing no immaterial quality; destitute of mind or soul.
  • * Alexander Pope
    • idol, void and vain
  • (computing, programming, of a function or method) That does not return a value.
  • * 2005 , Craig Larman, Applying UML and patterns
    • In particular, the roll method is void — it has no return value.
  • * 2007 , Andrew Krause, Foundations of GTK+ Development
    • The return value can safely be ignored if it is a void function.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • An empty space; a vacuum.
    • Nobody has crossed the void since one man died trying three hundred years ago; it's high time we had another go.
  • * Alexander Pope
    • Pride, where wit fails, steps in to our defence, / And fills up all the mighty void of sense.
  • (astronomy) An extended region of space containing no galaxies
  • (materials science) A collection of adjacent vacancies inside a crystal lattice.
  • (fluid mechanics) A pocket of vapour inside a fluid flow, created by cavitation.
    • Synonyms
    * pore * bubble

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (label) To make invalid or worthless.
  • :
  • * (1609-1674)
  • *:It was become a practiceto void the security that was at any time given for money so borrowed.
  • *(w) (1643-1715)
  • *:after they had voided the obligation of the oath he had taken
  • To empty.
  • :
  • To throw or send out; to evacuate; to emit; to discharge.
  • :
  • *
  • *:You, that did void your rheum upon my beard, And foot me as you spurn a stranger cur
  • *(John Webster) (c.1580-c.1634)
  • *:With shovel, like a fury, voided out / The earth and scattered bones.
  • *(Isaac Barrow) (1630-1677)
  • *:a watchful application of mind in voiding prejudices
  • To withdraw, depart.
  • *:
  • *:BY than come in to the feld kynge Ban as fyers as a lyon/ Ha a said kyng Lot we must be discomfyte / for yonder I see the moste valyaunt knyght of the world / and the man of the most renoume / for suche ij bretheren as is kyng Ban & kyng bors ar not lyuynge / wherfore we must nedes voyde or deye
  • To remove the contents of; to make or leave vacant or empty; to quit; to leave.
  • :
  • * '>citation
  • *
  • *:If they will fight with us, bid them come down, / Or void the field.
    • Synonyms
    * (make invalid or worthless) annul, cancel * evacuate

    Etymology 2

    Alteration of (voidee).

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • * 2011 , Thomas Penn, Winter King , Penguin 2012, p. 68:
    • Late on the final evening, as the customary ‘void ’ – spiced wine and sweetmeats – was served, more elaborate disguisings in the great hall culminated in the release of a flock of white doves.

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