fruitlessadj.

Brit.

/ˈfruːtləs/, U.S.

/ˈfrutləs/

Etymology: < fruit n. + -less suffix.

Devoid of fruit.

1. Not producing fruit; barren, sterile. †Rarely of animals: Not producing offspring, unfruitful.

ΘΚΠ

the world > existence and causation > creation > productiveness > unproductiveness > [adjective]

unbearingc825

deafc897

westyOE

wastumlessc975

wilderna1050

drya1340

gelda1350

barren1377

unfructuousa1382

poora1387

ungreenc1400

infecundc1420

farrow1494

fruitlessa1513

unfruitful1531

sterile1552

hungry1577

penurious1594

unfertile1596

infertile1598

howling1611

ungenitureda1616

arid1656

infecundous1661

ungendering1706

yeld1721

unproductive1725

infructuose1727

ungenerative1733

fallow1791

nihili-parturient1812

dowf1824

wastec1825

non-productive1830

unreproductive1836

infructuous1860

unvintaged1869

increative1877

ablastemic1881

submarginal1895

the world > life > biology > biological processes > procreation or reproduction > infertility > [adjective]

yelda1100

barrenc1200

geldc1225

untudderya1325

unfruitinga1400

infecundc1420

unfruitfula1425

fruitlessa1513

infertile1598

abortive1601

sterile1612

effete1621

deaf1633

improlifical1646

subventaneous1652

improlifica1661

unprolific1672

unfructifying1827

subfertile1846

agenesic1864

eggless1904

shy1905

radiosterilized1960

a1513 H. Bradshaw Lyfe St. Werburge (1521) ii. sig. o.iii^v With whom this lady lyued a longe season Barrayn and fruteles of generacion.

1546 Supplic. Poor Commons sig. c.vii Rotton and frutlesse trees.

1596 Raigne of Edward III sig. B3^v The ground..Seemes barrayne, sere, vnfertill, fructles [1599 fruitles] dry.

1601 P. Holland tr. Pliny Hist. World I. 224 Such begotten in this maner..are themselues barren and fruitles, vnable either to beare or beget yong.

1615 H. Crooke Μικροκοσμογραϕια 230 We see some women which haue conceyued to become fruitlesse for a space.

1635 E. Rainbow Labour 3 Christ..had power..to turne the fruitlesse desarts into kitchins.

1725 R. Bradley Chomel's Dictionaire Œconomique at July Diligently removing, either by Pinching or the Knife, all weak and fruitless Shoots.

1800 J. Stuart in Marquess Wellesley Select. Despatches (1877) 571 The part that does not belong to us is savage and fruitless.

1853 J. Ruskin Stones of Venice II. iv. 69 The root of a fruitless tree.

2. Yielding no profit or advantage; producing no effect or result; inefficacious, ineffectual, unprofitable, useless; empty, idle, vain.

ΘΚΠ

the world > action or operation > harm or detriment > disadvantage > uselessness > uselessness, vanity, or futility > [adjective] > useless or unproductive

fruitless1340

unfructuousc1380

unfruitous1382

unfruitfula1400

barren1549

blanka1556

effectless1594

issueless1611

infructuous1615

sterile1642

thorny ground1657

unproductivea1676

infructuose1727

resultless1832

irresultive1850

unresultive1850

unprocreant1851

1340 R. Rolle Pricke of Conscience 5666 Ilk idel worde, spoken in vayne, Þat es to say, þat war fruytles.

a1513 W. Dunbar Poems (1998) I. 258 This waverand warldis wretchidnes, The failȝeand and frutles bissines.

a1586 Sir P. Sidney Arcadia (1590) i. xii. sig. H4 The basest and fruitlessest of all passions.

1600 W. Shakespeare Midsummer Night's Dream iii. ii. 372 When they next wake, all this derision Shall seeme a dreame, and fruitelesse vision.

1611 Bible (King James) Wisd. xv. 4 An image spotted with diuers colours, the painters fruitlesse labour.

1697 W. Dampier New Voy. around World ix. 251 Our search was..fruitless.

1751 J. Jortin Serm. (1771) V. iii. 49 Vows which often end in fruitless regrets.

1849 T. B. Macaulay Hist. Eng. I. 298 The liberality of the nation had been made fruitless by the vices of the government.

1878 J. Morley Carlyle in Crit. Misc. 202 It is fruitless to go to him for help in the solution of philosophic problems.

a. Of persons: Not attaining one's object; unsuccessful.

ΘΚΠ

the world > action or operation > failure or lack of success > [adjective] > specifically of persons

unsped1390

empty-handed1573

empty1583

speedless1586

unsuccessful1659

unattaining1834

fruitless1843

raté1949

1843 T. Carlyle Past & Present ii. vi. 94 The Devil and the Dream both fled away fruitless.

1858 T. Carlyle Hist. Friedrich II of Prussia I. iv. v. 436 He storms and rages forward..but..has to retire, fruitless, about daybreak, himself wounded.

b. Const. of. Unable to produce or utter (words). rare.

ΚΠ

1869 J. R. Lowell Under Willows in Poet. Wks. (1880) 195 Dumbly felt with thrills Moving the lips, though fruitless of the words.

Derivatives

ˈfruitlessly adv.

ΘΚΠ

the world > action or operation > harm or detriment > disadvantage > uselessness > uselessness, vanity, or futility > [adverb] > uselessly or unproductively

unfruitfullyc1450

fruitlessly1629

effectless1755

unproductively1793

infructuously1827

resultlessly1839

1629 P. Massinger Roman Actor iv. i. sig. G4^v You haue but fruitlesly labour'd to sullye A white robe of perfection.

1727 W. Mather Young Man's Compan. (ed. 13) 72 Time fruitlesly pass'd away, will in the end cause an aking Heart.

1858 J. A. Froude Hist. Eng. (ed. 2) IV. xviii. 55 Policy had laboured for a union, and had laboured fruitlessly.

ˈfruitlessness n.

ΘΚΠ

the world > action or operation > harm or detriment > disadvantage > uselessness > uselessness, vanity, or futility > [noun] > uselessness or unproductiveness

fruitlessness1615

sterility1661

profitlessness1822

bootlessness1830

unfruitfulness1850

resultlessness1852

1615 Bp. J. Hall Contempl. III. O.T. xi. 403 Then she had griefe from hir owne fruitlesnesse.

1791 A. Radcliffe Romance of Forest II. xi. 122 She saw the inconvenience and fruitlessness of opposition.

1872 H. P. Liddon Some Elements Relig. v. 184 If by ‘God’ is meant only [etc.]..we need not read Spinoza to convince ourselves of the fruitlessness of prayer.

This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1898; most recently modified version published online March 2022).

单词	fruitless
释义	fruitlessadj. Brit. /ˈfruːtləs/, U.S. /ˈfrutləs/ Etymology: < fruit n. + -less suffix. Devoid of fruit. 1. Not producing fruit; barren, sterile. †Rarely of animals: Not producing offspring, unfruitful. ΘΚΠ the world > existence and causation > creation > productiveness > unproductiveness > [adjective] unbearingc825 deafc897 westyOE wastumlessc975 wilderna1050 drya1340 gelda1350 barren1377 unfructuousa1382 poora1387 ungreenc1400 infecundc1420 farrow1494 fruitlessa1513 unfruitful1531 sterile1552 hungry1577 penurious1594 unfertile1596 infertile1598 howling1611 ungenitureda1616 arid1656 infecundous1661 ungendering1706 yeld1721 unproductive1725 infructuose1727 ungenerative1733 fallow1791 nihili-parturient1812 dowf1824 wastec1825 non-productive1830 unreproductive1836 infructuous1860 unvintaged1869 increative1877 ablastemic1881 submarginal1895 the world > life > biology > biological processes > procreation or reproduction > infertility > [adjective] yelda1100 barrenc1200 geldc1225 untudderya1325 unfruitinga1400 infecundc1420 unfruitfula1425 fruitlessa1513 infertile1598 abortive1601 sterile1612 effete1621 deaf1633 improlifical1646 subventaneous1652 improlifica1661 unprolific1672 unfructifying1827 subfertile1846 agenesic1864 eggless1904 shy1905 radiosterilized1960 a1513 H. Bradshaw Lyfe St. Werburge (1521) ii. sig. o.iii^v With whom this lady lyued a longe season Barrayn and fruteles of generacion. 1546 Supplic. Poor Commons sig. c.vii Rotton and frutlesse trees. 1596 Raigne of Edward III sig. B3^v The ground..Seemes barrayne, sere, vnfertill, fructles [1599 fruitles] dry. 1601 P. Holland tr. Pliny Hist. World I. 224 Such begotten in this maner..are themselues barren and fruitles, vnable either to beare or beget yong. 1615 H. Crooke Μικροκοσμογραϕια 230 We see some women which haue conceyued to become fruitlesse for a space. 1635 E. Rainbow Labour 3 Christ..had power..to turne the fruitlesse desarts into kitchins. 1725 R. Bradley Chomel's Dictionaire Œconomique at July Diligently removing, either by Pinching or the Knife, all weak and fruitless Shoots. 1800 J. Stuart in Marquess Wellesley Select. Despatches (1877) 571 The part that does not belong to us is savage and fruitless. 1853 J. Ruskin Stones of Venice II. iv. 69 The root of a fruitless tree. 2. Yielding no profit or advantage; producing no effect or result; inefficacious, ineffectual, unprofitable, useless; empty, idle, vain. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > harm or detriment > disadvantage > uselessness > uselessness, vanity, or futility > [adjective] > useless or unproductive fruitless1340 unfructuousc1380 unfruitous1382 unfruitfula1400 barren1549 blanka1556 effectless1594 issueless1611 infructuous1615 sterile1642 thorny ground1657 unproductivea1676 infructuose1727 resultless1832 irresultive1850 unresultive1850 unprocreant1851 1340 R. Rolle Pricke of Conscience 5666 Ilk idel worde, spoken in vayne, Þat es to say, þat war fruytles. a1513 W. Dunbar Poems (1998) I. 258 This waverand warldis wretchidnes, The failȝeand and frutles bissines. a1586 Sir P. Sidney Arcadia (1590) i. xii. sig. H4 The basest and fruitlessest of all passions. 1600 W. Shakespeare Midsummer Night's Dream iii. ii. 372 When they next wake, all this derision Shall seeme a dreame, and fruitelesse vision. View more context for this quotation 1611 Bible (King James) Wisd. xv. 4 An image spotted with diuers colours, the painters fruitlesse labour. View more context for this quotation 1697 W. Dampier New Voy. around World ix. 251 Our search was..fruitless. 1751 J. Jortin Serm. (1771) V. iii. 49 Vows which often end in fruitless regrets. 1849 T. B. Macaulay Hist. Eng. I. 298 The liberality of the nation had been made fruitless by the vices of the government. 1878 J. Morley Carlyle in Crit. Misc. 202 It is fruitless to go to him for help in the solution of philosophic problems. 3. a. Of persons: Not attaining one's object; unsuccessful. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > failure or lack of success > [adjective] > specifically of persons unsped1390 empty-handed1573 empty1583 speedless1586 unsuccessful1659 unattaining1834 fruitless1843 raté1949 1843 T. Carlyle Past & Present ii. vi. 94 The Devil and the Dream both fled away fruitless. 1858 T. Carlyle Hist. Friedrich II of Prussia I. iv. v. 436 He storms and rages forward..but..has to retire, fruitless, about daybreak, himself wounded. b. Const. of. Unable to produce or utter (words). rare. ΚΠ 1869 J. R. Lowell Under Willows in Poet. Wks. (1880) 195 Dumbly felt with thrills Moving the lips, though fruitless of the words. Derivatives ˈfruitlessly adv. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > harm or detriment > disadvantage > uselessness > uselessness, vanity, or futility > [adverb] > uselessly or unproductively unfruitfullyc1450 fruitlessly1629 effectless1755 unproductively1793 infructuously1827 resultlessly1839 1629 P. Massinger Roman Actor iv. i. sig. G4^v You haue but fruitlesly labour'd to sullye A white robe of perfection. 1727 W. Mather Young Man's Compan. (ed. 13) 72 Time fruitlesly pass'd away, will in the end cause an aking Heart. 1858 J. A. Froude Hist. Eng. (ed. 2) IV. xviii. 55 Policy had laboured for a union, and had laboured fruitlessly. ˈfruitlessness n. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > harm or detriment > disadvantage > uselessness > uselessness, vanity, or futility > [noun] > uselessness or unproductiveness fruitlessness1615 sterility1661 profitlessness1822 bootlessness1830 unfruitfulness1850 resultlessness1852 1615 Bp. J. Hall Contempl. III. O.T. xi. 403 Then she had griefe from hir owne fruitlesnesse. 1791 A. Radcliffe Romance of Forest II. xi. 122 She saw the inconvenience and fruitlessness of opposition. 1872 H. P. Liddon Some Elements Relig. v. 184 If by ‘God’ is meant only [etc.]..we need not read Spinoza to convince ourselves of the fruitlessness of prayer. This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1898; most recently modified version published online March 2022). < adj.1340
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