gainless

Multiplied by the four major sports, and that's a lot of pointless and gainless memorizing.

Numbered 2008

During those days, those gawky, gainless, unadmired days, in which he had wandered about the lanes of Guestwick as his only amusement, and had composed hundreds of rhymes in honour of Lily Dale which no human eye but his own had ever seen, he had come to regard himself as almost a burden upon the earth.

The Small House at Allington 2004

The President heard that some of the latter voiced the petulant complaint of those weary of the gainless military movements, that the intention was to shift the two armies about till both were exhausted, and, like the peace-at-any-price men, and the still sympathizing pro-slavery "tail," a compromise could be effected and slavery saved.

The Lincoln Story Book Henry Llewellyn Williams

Some gainless glimpse of Proserpine's veil'd head,

Ave atque Vale 1919

This emotion also was not divine; and so might not outlive the gainless months wherein, like one fishing for pearls in a millpond, I have toiled to evoke from your heart more than Heaven placed in this heart, wherein lies no love.

Figures of Earth James Branch Cabell 1918

SO Kennaston seemed to have got only disappointment and vexation and gainless vague regret from his love-affairs in the flesh; and all fleshly passion seemed to flicker out inevitably, however splendid the brief blaze.

The Cream of the Jest: A Comedy of Evasions 1917

The President heard that some of the latter voiced the petulant complaint of those weary of the gainless military movements, that the intention was to shift the two armies about till both were exhausted, and, like the peace-at-any-price men, and the still sympathizing pro-slavery “tail,” a compromise could be effected and slavery saved.

The Lincoln Story Book Williams, Henry L 1907

What is not countenanced among civilised men is to shift out of allegiance to any given nationality or dynasty without shifting into the like complication of gainless obligations somewhere else.

An Inquiry Into The Nature Of Peace And The Terms Of Its Perpetuation Thorstein Veblen 1893

And they with looks askance, and naked feet come homewards, and sorely they upbraid me when they have gone on a vain journey, and listless again in the bottom of their empty coffer, they dwell with heads bowed over their chilly knees, where is their drear abode, when gainless they return.

Theocritus Bion and Moschus Rendered into English Prose 300 BC-260 BC Theocritus 1878

Some gainless glimpse of Proserpine's veiled head,

Poems & Ballads (Second Series) Swinburne's Poems Volume III Algernon Charles Swinburne 1873