vain, vein and vane - the difference

  Biscuit Trail: Home  Easily Confused Words  Vain, Vein and Vane

sponsored by the WhiteSmoke grammar checker
Get our daily grammar
tip on Twitter
Add our gadget to your   
iGoogle homepage
  
English lessons online. Live from USA. Download our
e-book ($7.95)
Buy the only grammar checker endorsed by Grammar Monster



VAIN / VEIN / VANE

 

(1) A vein is a blood vessel or a distinctive style.
(2) Vain means 'self admiring' or 'futile'. The term 'in vain' means 'without success'.
(3) A vane is a stabilizing fin or blade.

 

The words 'vein', 'vain' and 'vane' sound identical, but their meanings are very different.

Vein

The noun 'vein' has several meanings:
A blood vessel that carries blood from the capillaries towards the heart.
 

  
    veins                       varicose veins
A distinctive style or manner.

Mr Mellor continued in the same vein despite several reprimands.
A layer of ore or mineral between layers of rock.


       mineral vein running
            through rock       
The ribs that support an insect's wing.


  veins in an insect's wing       

Vain

The adjective 'vain' means 'conceited' or 'self admiring'.  'Vain' can also mean 'fruitless'.  In this meaning, it is often seen as 'in vain' meaning 'without success' or 'in a futile manner'.

Examples:

Petra is so vain. She spends half her time looking in the mirror.

I tried in vain to pull the boat ashore, but it was just too heavy.

Vane

The noun 'vane' denotes a blade or a fin usually used to stabilize an object in the air or in water.  It is most commonly seen in the word weathervane.

Examples:

The stabilizing vane has come loose.
 
The steel casing protects the vane from damage in the event that the
vessel hits the rocks.
 

         weathervane       
 Select the best answer to replace the missing word:
 
     
 
     
 
     
 
Associated lessons:
 
What are adjectives?
What are nouns?
What are verbs?
List of easily confused words
 
 

Grammar Monster © | Copyright Registration Number: 226604 | All rights reserved