> as lemmas

a1393 J. Gower Confessio Amantis (Fairf.) viii. l. 527 Whan he sih..that his labour was in vein.]

a1470 T. Malory Morte Darthur (Winch. Coll. 13) (1990) I. 377 Som..counceyled..for to seke sir Launcelott..other barownes..seyde that hit was laboure in vayne.

1533 T. Paynell tr. U. von Hutten De Morbo Gallico f. 64 And for as moche as I haue shewed before, what euyls come with this syckenes, it were but labour in vayne to repete them.

1578 T. Brasbridge Poore Mans Iewel 14 It is almoste a labour in vaine, to shewe meanes how to purge the wickednes of priuate men, vnlesse Publique offences be first cured.

1616 N. Breton Crossing of Proverbs sig. A5 Labour in vaine is losse of time.

a1670 J. Hacket Scrinia Reserata (1693) ii. 67 That Commission ended at Labour in vain; not, as the old Emblem is, to go about to make a Black-moor white, but to make him that was White to appear like a Black-moor.

1679 J. Dryden Troilus & Cressida ii. ii. 15 The signe-post for the Labour in vain.

1767 D. Garrick Cymon i. 12 The pow'rs of a god Cannot quicken this clod, Alas!—It is labour in vain.

1831 Times 7 Oct. 4/4 The Oaks winner maintained her position till a few lengths beyond the Duke's Stand, where John Day went to work at her. It was labour in vain, Camarine passed her, and without the slightest effort won..by four lengths.

1864 T. Carlyle Hist. Friedrich II of Prussia IV. xv. iv. 34 Friedrich..has to retire behind the Sazawa, and ultimately behind the Elbe, with much Labour in Vain.

1909 J. C. Van Dyke New N.Y. xvii. 303 One has merely to stand at the entrance to the Queensboro Bridge and look up at it to realize that sculptural ornamentation in connection with it would be only so much labor in vain.

1957 Y. Hsien-yi & G. Yang tr. Sel. Wks. Lu Hsun 264 Before this happened, I doubt if anyone could have foretold such a tragedy; at most, you would expect this to be merely one more case of labour in vain.