Labor In Vain

Pronunciation: /ˈleɪbər ɪn veɪn/

Definitions of labor in vain

noun a person's work or effort

Example Sentences

A1 She felt like she was laboring in vain when her project didn't receive any recognition.

A2 The team's efforts seemed to be labor in vain as the project deadline approached.

B1 Despite their hard work, the results showed that their efforts were labor in vain.

B2 The company's investment in the new technology proved to be labor in vain as it did not yield any positive results.

C1 The artist's attempts to gain recognition for his work felt like labor in vain as he struggled to find an audience.

C2 The scientist's groundbreaking research faced criticism and skepticism, leading her to feel like her efforts were labor in vain.

preposition used in the phrase 'in vain' to indicate that something is done without success or result

Example Sentences

A1 She tried to fix the broken toy, but her labor in vain as it was beyond repair.

A2 The team spent hours organizing the event, only to realize their labor in vain due to bad weather.

B1 Despite working hard on the project, they knew it was a labor in vain as the deadline had passed.

B2 The artist painted tirelessly on the masterpiece, but it turned out to be a labor in vain as it didn't meet the client's expectations.

C1 The scientist conducted numerous experiments, but it was all labor in vain as the results were inconclusive.

C2 The author spent years writing the novel, only to realize it was a labor in vain as it never got published.

Examples of labor in vain in a Sentence

formal Despite their best efforts, the team realized they were laboring in vain as the project deadline approached.

informal I spent hours trying to fix my computer, but it seems like I was laboring in vain.

slang I thought I could convince her to change her mind, but I was just laboring in vain.

figurative His attempts to win her back were like laboring in vain, as she had already moved on.

Grammatical Forms of labor in vain

• past tense: labored in vain
• plural: labors in vain
• comparative: more laborious in vain
• superlative: most laborious in vain
• present tense: labors in vain
• future tense: will labor in vain
• perfect tense: have labored in vain
• continuous tense: is laboring in vain
• singular: labor in vain
• positive degree: labor in vain
• infinitive: to labor in vain
• gerund: laboring in vain
• participle: laboring in vain

Origin and Evolution of labor in vain

First Known Use: 1250 year

Language of Origin: Hebrew (translated into English)

Story behind the word: The phrase 'labor in vain' originates from the Bible, specifically from Psalms 127:1 which states 'Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain.'

Evolution of the word: Over time, the phrase 'labor in vain' has come to be used in a broader sense to refer to any effort that is ultimately fruitless or wasted, not just in the context of building or construction.