Vain | Mean of vain in English Dictionary

/ˈveɪn/

• too proud of your own appearance, abilities, achievements, etc.
1. She is very vain about her appearance.
2. He is the vainest man I know.
• having no success
1. They made a vain [=unsuccessful] attempt to escape.
2. A vain effort to quell the public's fears only made matters worse.
3. Volunteers searched the area in the vain hope of finding clues.
• without success
1. We searched in vain for the missing earring. [=we searched for the missing earring but did not find it]
2. He tried in vain to get the baby to sleep.
3. Her suffering will not be in vain. [=something good will happen because of her suffering]

• to use (a name, especially the name of God) in a way that does not show proper respect
1. He took God's name in vain.
2. (humorous) I thought I heard someone taking my name in vain. [=saying my name]