ROGET'S THESAURUS OF ENGLISH WORDS AND PHRASES ...

&c (drone) 683
V. be useless &c adj.; go a begging &c (redundant) 641; fail &c 732.
seek after impossibilities, strive after impossibilities; use vain efforts, labor in vain,
roll the stone of Sisyphus, beat the air, lash the waves, battre l'eau avec un baton [Fr.],
donner un coup d'epee dans l'eau [Fr.], fish in the air, milk the ram, drop a bucket into an
empty well, sow the sand; bay the moon; preach to the winds, speak to the winds; whistle
jigs to a milestone; kick against the pricks, se battre contre des moulins [Fr.]; lock the
stable door when the steed is stolen, lock the barn door after the horse is stolen &c (too
late) 135; hold a farthing candle to the sun; cast pearls before swine &c (waste) 638;
carry coals to Newcastle &c (redundancy) 641; wash a blackamoor white &c
(impossible) 471.
render useless &c adj.; dismantle, dismast, dismount, disqualify, disable; unrig;
cripple, lame &c (injure) 659; spike guns, clip the wings; put out of gear.
Adj. useless, inutile, inefficacious, futile, unavailing, bootless; inoperative &c 158;
inadequate &c (insufficient) 640; inservient † , unsubservient; inept, inefficient &c
(impotent) 158; of no avail &c (use) 644; ineffectual &c (failure) 732; incompetent &c
(unskillful) 699; stale, flat and unprofitable; superfluous &c (redundant) 641;
dispensable; thrown away &c (wasted) 638; abortive &c (immature) 674.
worthless, valueless, priceless; unsalable; not worth a straw &c (trifling) 643, dear at
any price.
vain, empty, inane; gainless † , profitless, fruitless; unserviceable, unprofitable; illspent;
unproductive &c 169; hors de combat [Fr.]; effete, past work &c (impaired) 659;
obsolete &c (old) 124; fit for the dust hole; good for nothing; of no earthly use; not worth
having, not worth powder and shot; leading to no end, uncalled for; unnecessary,
unneeded.
Adv. uselessly &c adj.; to little purpose, to no purpose, to little or no purpose.
Int. cui bono? [Lat.]; what's the good!,
Phr. actum ne agas [Lat.]; chercher une aiguille dans une botte de foin [Fr.]; tanto buon
che val niente [It].
646. [Specific subservience.] Expedience -- N. expedience, expediency; desirableness,
desirability &c adj.; fitness &c (agreement) 23; utility &c 644; propriety; opportunism;
advantage.
high time &c (occasion) 134.
V. be expedient &c adj.; suit &c (agree) 23; befit; suit the time, befit the time, suit the
season, befit the season, suit the occasion, befit the occasion.
conform &c 82.
Adj. expedient; desirable, advisable, acceptable; convenient; worth while, meet; fit,
fitting; due, proper, eligible, seemly, becoming; befitting &c v.; opportune &c (in season)
134; in loco; suitable &c (accordant) 23; applicable &c (useful) 644.
Adv. in the right place; conveniently &c adj..
Phr. operae pretium est [Lat.].
647. Inexpedience -- N. inexpedience, inexpediency; undesirableness, undesirability &c
adj.; discommodity † , impropriety; unfitness &c (disagreement) 24; inutility &c 645;
disadvantage.