Not to sit idle with so great a gift Useless, and
thence ridiculous. --Milton.
Usage: {Useless}, {Fruitless}, {Ineffectual}. We speak of an
attempt, effort, etc., as being useless when there are
in it inherent difficulties which forbid the hope of
success, as fruitless when it fails, not from any such
difficulties, but from some unexpected hindrance
arising to frustrate it; as, the design was rendered
fruitless by the death of its projector. Ineffectual
nearly resembles fruitless, but implies a failure of a
less hopeless character; as, after several ineffectual
efforts, I at last succeeded.
Useless are all words Till you have writ
``performance'' with your swords. The other is
for waiving. --Beau. & Fl.
Waiving all searches into antiquity, in relation
to this controversy, as being either needless or
fruitless. --Waterland.
Even our blessed Savior's preaching, who spake
as never man spake, was ineffectual to many.
--Bp.
Stillingfleet.
-- {Use"less*ly}, adv. -- {Use"less*ness}, n.