Dictionary entry

Futile

Webster's Dictionary 1913

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.

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.