fruitlessly


Also found in: Thesaurus, Medical, Encyclopedia.

fruit·less

 (fro͞ot′lĭs)
adj.
1. Producing no fruit: a withered, fruitless lemon tree.
2. Not leading to success; unproductive: a fruitless search. See Synonyms at futile.

fruit′less·ly adv.
fruit′less·ness n.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Adv.1.fruitlessly - in an unproductive mannerfruitlessly - in an unproductive manner    
fruitfully, productively, profitably - in a productive way; "they worked together productively for two years"
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
Translations
بِصورَة غَير مُثْمِرَه
marně
frugtløst
árangurslaust
boş yereyararsız bir şekilde

fruitlessly

[ˈfruːtlɪslɪ] ADVinfructuosamente, sin resultado
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

fruit

(fruːt) noun
1. the part of a plant that produces the seed, especially when eaten as food. The fruit of the vine is the grape.
2. a result; something gained as a result of hard work etc. the fruit of his hard work.
verb
to produce fruit. This tree fruits early.
ˈfruitful adjective
producing (good) results. a fruitful meeting.
fruition (fruˈiʃən) noun
an actual result; the happening of something that was thought of, hoped for etc. Her dreams came to fruition.
ˈfruitless adjective
useless; with no results. a fruitless attempt.
ˈfruitlessly adverb
ˈfruity adjective
of or like fruit. a fruity taste; a fruity drink.

fruit is a collective noun taking a singular verb: Fruit is good for you ; The tree bears fruit (not fruits ).
The plural fruits is used in talking about different types of fruit: oranges, mangoes and other fruits .
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
References in classic literature ?
"I'm beginning to be weary of fruitlessly championing the truth, and sometimes I'm quite unhinged by it.
But many thought, and I thought so too, that it was special favour and mercy which Heaven showed to Spain in permitting the destruction of that source and hiding place of mischief, that devourer, sponge, and moth of countless money, fruitlessly wasted there to no other purpose save preserving the memory of its capture by the invincible Charles V; as if to make that eternal, as it is and will be, these stones were needed to support it.
She remained fruitlessly blowing and blowing, wondering how she could have so grown out of the art which had come by nature, till she became aware of a movement among the ivy-boughs which cloaked the garden-wall no less then the cottage.
He walked to all parts of London in answer to the advertisements, and he came to know by sight men who applied as fruitlessly as himself.
Was it right, even to soothe his grief--would it be possible, even if she promised--to work as in a treadmill fruitlessly?
Other men might have wearied their memories by recalling the churches, the institutions, the streets, the towns in foreign countries, all consecrated to Christian reverence by the great apostle's name, and might have fruitlessly asked themselves in which direction they were first to turn their steps.
He said that he was wearing away his time fruitlessly where he was, that letters from the friends he had formed in London desired his return to complete the negotiation they had entered into for his Indian enterprise.
With this object, large bodies of the soldiery were several times despatched to the Mansion House to await his orders: but as he could, by no threats or persuasions, be induced to give any, and as the men remained in the open street, fruitlessly for any good purpose, and thrivingly for a very bad one; these laudable attempts did harm rather than good.
Next morning, this night-scene among my dreams seemed like a dream; to make sure of the piteous truth, I was obliged to look fruitlessly under my pillow for the packet of letters.
and Clement VII., but it will never succeed now, for they attempted it fruitlessly, and Napoleon was unable to complete his work.
'Ulysses,' said he, 'you are cruel; you are very strong yourself and never get worn out; you seem to be made of iron, and now, though your men are exhausted with toil and want of sleep, you will not let them land and cook themselves a good supper upon this island, but bid them put out to sea and go faring fruitlessly on through the watches of the flying night.
When you first took me into your confidence, and dispatched me on those missions to Miss Bray, I should have told you that I had seen her long before; that her beauty had made an impression upon me which I could not efface; and that I had fruitlessly endeavoured to trace her, and become acquainted with her history.