- take in vain
- phrasal to use (a name) profanely or without proper respect
New Collegiate Dictionary. 2001.
take in vain
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take in vain — verb use a name, such as God, without proper respect • Hypernyms: ↑pervert, ↑misuse, ↑abuse • Verb Frames: Somebody s something * * * phrasal Etymology: ME taken in vain … Useful english dictionary
To take in vain — Take Take, v. t. [imp. {Took} (t[oo^]k); p. p. {Taken} (t[=a]k n); p. pr. & vb. n. {Taking}.] [Icel. taka; akin to Sw. taga, Dan. tage, Goth. t[=e]kan to touch; of uncertain origin.] 1. In an active sense; To lay hold of; to seize with the hands … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Take — Take, v. t. [imp. {Took} (t[oo^]k); p. p. {Taken} (t[=a]k n); p. pr. & vb. n. {Taking}.] [Icel. taka; akin to Sw. taga, Dan. tage, Goth. t[=e]kan to touch; of uncertain origin.] 1. In an active sense; To lay hold of; to seize with the hands, or… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
take someone's name in vain — take someone’s name in vain often humorous phrase to talk about someone in a way that shows a lack of respect for them Thesaurus: to show that you do not respect someone or somethingsynonym Main entry: vain * * * I see vain … Useful english dictionary
vain — ► ADJECTIVE 1) having or showing an excessively high opinion of one s appearance or abilities. 2) useless or meaningless: a vain boast. ● in vain Cf. ↑in vain ● take someone s name in vain Cf. ↑take someone s name in vain … English terms dictionary
Vain (band) — Vain are a glam metal band formed in the San Francisco Bay Area in 1986, at the last wave of the Glam Metal era, and in a time when the city s main musical export was thrash metal slowly changing to Punk. The band were formed by vocalist Davy… … Wikipedia
vain — [veın] adj [Date: 1300 1400; : Old French; Origin: Latin vanus empty, vain ] 1.) someone who is vain is too proud of their good looks, abilities, or position used to show disapproval = ↑conceited ▪ Men can be just as vain as women. see usage note … Dictionary of contemporary English
vain — [ veın ] adjective * 1. ) someone who is vain is very proud and thinks they are very attractive or special: CONCEITED: He was vain about his looks, spending hours in the gym. 2. ) unsuccessful or useless: a vain attempt/bid/effort: They made a… … Usage of the words and phrases in modern English
Vain — Vain, n. Vanity; emptiness; now used only in the phrase in vain. [1913 Webster] {For vain}. See {In vain}. [Obs.] Shak. {In vain}, to no purpose; without effect; ineffectually. In vain doth valor bleed. Milton. In vain they do worship me. Matt.… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
take someone's name in vain — take (someone s) name in vain humorous to say someone s name when they are not there, usually when you are criticizing them. Did I hear someone taking my name in vain? … New idioms dictionary
