Hypertext Webster Gateway: "futile"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Futile \Fu"tile\ (?; 277), a. [L. futilis that easily pours out,
that easily lets loose, vain, worthless, from the root of
fundere to pour out: cf. F. futile. See {Fuse}, v. t.]
1. Talkative; loquacious; tattling. [Obs.]
Talkers and futile persons. --Bacon.
2. Of no importance; answering no useful end; useless; vain;
worthless. ``Futile theories.'' --I. Taylor.
His reasoning . . . was singularly futile.
--Macaulay.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
futile
adj 1: producing no result or effect; "a futile effort"; "the
therapy was ineffectual"; "an otiose undertaking"; "an
unavailing attempt" [syn: {ineffectual}, {otiose}, {unavailing}]
2: unproductive of success; "a fruitless search"; "futile years
after her artistic peak"; "a sleeveless errand"; "a vain
attempt" [syn: {bootless}, {fruitless}, {sleeveless}, {vain}]
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