[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/judaism/w/useless.html)

[home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [dictionaries](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/) / [The Judaism dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/judaism/) / useless

[← U](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/judaism/U/)

# useless

«useless» in Mova's judaism dictionary: **Not useful; not able to do its job: "A broken umbrella is…** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 5 sentences of Mova's corpora that use it.

### part of speech

adjective (useless, more useless, most useless)

### meaning for a pupil

1) Not useful; not able to do its job: "A broken umbrella is useless." [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/U/useless/#m1)

2) Having no effect: "It's useless to argue." [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/U/useless/#m2)

3) Informally, very bad at something: "I'm useless at drawing." [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/U/useless/#m3)

### sense in the lessons

In the Tanakh and Jewish tradition: In the Psalms, "a useless vessel" means a broken pot that is thrown away. It is a picture of someone forgotten and cast aside. Interpretation: Readers take this as the feeling of a person who is ill or ignored and who still turns to God in prayer. In the primary lessons: In everyday life, things become useless when broken. In maths and writing lessons, "useless information" is information you do not need to answer the question. Saying "I'm useless at maths" is a common but unhelpful thing to say; teachers encourage pupils to keep trying. Phrases: useless at, it's useless to, completely useless.

### examples

- I am forgotten as a dead man out of mind; I am like a useless vessel. (Writings PSA.31.13, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/U/useless/#x1)
- This pen is useless; it has no ink. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/U/useless/#x2)
- A torch without batteries is useless. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/U/useless/#x3)
- It's useless to shout; nobody can hear us. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/U/useless/#x4)
- Some numbers in the problem are useless for the answer. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/U/useless/#x5)
- I felt useless when I could not help. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/U/useless/#x6)
- Don't say you are useless at maths; just keep practising. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/U/useless/#x7)
- Precautions are useless after the event. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/U/useless/#x8)

### note

"-less" means without: useless = without use. Opposite: "useful". In maths word problems, look out for useless (extra) numbers that you do not need. Calling a person useless is unkind.

### In the corpora

- [I am forgotten as a dead man out of mind; I am like a useless vessel.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/ketuvim/jps/PSA.459/)
- [Why are you so useless?» It stopped being fun.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/405-teams-and-voice-chat/17/)
- [Elowen goes to her room feeling useless.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/507-siblings-as-best-mates-and-as-rivals/10/)
- [It was reported that hyperinflation happened in Germany about 100 years ago and in Zimbabwe more recently, making money nearly useless.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/money/34-inflation-explained-with-a-chocolate-bar/15/)
- [New players often need time before a team trusts them; "like a lemon" is UK slang for looking silly or useless.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/reflection/23-when-nobody-sits-with-you-making-friends-again/13/)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every meaning and example of «useless» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/U/useless/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.