| 释义 |
profitless, a.|ˈprɒfɪtlɪs|
[f. profit n. + -less.]
Void of profit; unprofitable, useless.
1599Shakes. Much Ado v. i. 4, I pray thee cease thy counsaile, Which falls into mine eares as profitlesse, As water in a siue. 1643Hammond Serm. John xviii. 40 Wks. 1683 IV. 513 An empty, profitless, temptationless sin. 1809Malkin Gil Blas xii. vi. ⁋3 He was of an intractable and profitless age. 1885Manch. Exam. 12 Mar. 5/6 After four hours of utterly profitless talk a division was taken.
Hence ˈprofitlessly adv., ˈprofitlessness.
1822Blackw. Mag. XII. 281 Our presumption..must return in profitlessness and fatigue. 1857H. Miller Test. Rocks i. 16 Human thought is not profitlessly revolving in an idle circle, but progressing Godwards. 1879G. Meredith Egoist III. viii. 155 Dissection and inspection will be alike profitlessly practised. |