vano
adjective
1 (infundado) [+ilusión, esperanza] empty; vain; [+temor, sospecha] groundless; [+superstición] foolish
(Archit) space; opening
vano(
bah
-
noh
)An adjective is a word that describes a noun (e.g. the big dog).
1. (fruitless)
a. vain
David intentó llamar a su hermana por teléfono en un vano intento por localizarla.David tried phoning his sister in a vain attempt to find her.
b. futile
Salí corriendo en un vano esfuerzo por agarrar el bus.I rushed out in a futile effort to catch the bus.
c. in vain
Los esfuerzos por convencer a la chica obstinada fueron vanos.Efforts to persuade the stubborn girl were in vain.
d. pointless
Es vano hablar de democracia en un país como este.It's pointless to talk about democracy in a country like this.
2. (unfounded)
a. vain
Guardas demasiadas cosas en la vana esperanza de que algún día te sirvan.You keep too many things in the vain hope that one day they may be of use to you.
b. empty
No puede ser que que el público se deje engañar por las vanas promesas de este político egoista.The public surely cannot be taken in by the empty promises of this self-serving politician.
c. hollow
El discurso del presidente no eran más que vanas palabras, y todos lo sabían.The president's speech was nothing more than hollow words, and everyone knew it.
3. (agriculture)
a. empty
Este año hubo muchas nueces decoloradas y nueces vanas.There were a lot of discolored and empty nuts this year.
4. (dispirited)
A phrase used as a figure of speech or a word that is symbolic in meaning; metaphorical (e.g. carrot, bean).
(figurative)
A word or phrase restricted in usage to literature or established writing (e.g. sex, once upon a time).
(literary)
a. empty
El preso era una cáscara vana tras años de encarcelamiento.The prisoner was an empty shell after years of imprisonment.
5. (self-important)
a. vain
¿Qué te parece la nueva directora? - Parece una persona vana sin sentido del humor.What do you think of the new director? - She seems like a vain person with no sense of humor.
b. conceited
El chico vano pasó el día entero viéndose en el lago.The conceited boy spent all day looking at himself in the lake.
6. (superficial)
a. shallow
Al principio el vendedor parecía agradable, pero poco a poco me di cuenta de que era muy vano.The salesman seemed nice at first, but I gradually realized he was pretty shallow.
A masculine noun is used with masculine articles and adjectives (e.g. el hombre guapo, el sol amarillo).
vano
An adjective is a word that describes a noun (e.g. the big dog).
1. (inútil, infundado)
a. vain
en vanoin vain
2. (vacío, superficial; palabras)
a. shallow, superficial
3. (persona)
a. vain, conceited
A noun is a word referring to a person, animal, place, thing, feeling or idea (e.g. man, dog, house).
4. (architecture)
a. doorway
Word Roots
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Phrases with "vano"
Here are the most popular phrases with "vano." Click the phrases to see the full entry.
| en vano | in vain | |
| no en vano | not for nothing |
Examples
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