vainly

While the woman goggled at me, her brain vainly attempting to take precious processing cycles away from analyzing reality TV to comprehend what had just been said to her, I stepped around her, handed my jar of salsa to the cashier, and completed my purchase.

The Weather's Fine, Wish They Weren't Here archmage 2008

It was plain that he had been misled for once, that what he suspected had not come to pass, and that he must seek elsewhere the light which had gleamed upon him vainly from the Danish town.

Mary Anerley Richard Doddridge 2004

'I must insist,' he called vainly after the doctor, who prudently circled about the house and waited a quarter of an hour as he sat upon the wall, eavesdropping on the conversation of the two young people.

Captain Corelli's Mandolin De Bernieres, Louis 2003

Never before was such lightning and thunder of artillery heard, most of which, notwithstanding, went vainly from the Spanish, flying clear over the

In Doublet and Hose A Story for Girls Lucy Foster Madison 1898

It was plain that he had been misled for once, that what he suspected had not come to pass, and that he must seek elsewhere the light which had gleamed upon him vainly from the Danish town.

Mary Anerley : a Yorkshire Tale 1862

Catholic, a name vainly usurped by the Romanists, ii.

Sermons Preached Upon Several Occasions. Vol. IV. 1634-1716 1823

Orlando, utterly unable to answer this raillery, now wished her once more health and happiness; and said (again vainly attempting to appear unconcerned) – 'I really do not love to contradict ladies, my dear Mrs Lennard! so you must have your own way, however your suspicions may wrong me.'

The Old Manor House 1793

For those who are clicking from FiveThirtyEight to Politico to Drudge and back again vainly searching for fresh information on Tuesday’s elections, there’s good news: Web sites like Twitter and YouTube are providing real-time updates from the polls, voter by voter.

Taking the Digital Pulse of Voters, One at a Time - Bits Blog - NYTimes.com 2008

For those who are clicking from FiveThirtyEight to Politico to Drudge and back again vainly searching for fresh information on Tuesday’s elections, there’s good news: Web sites like Twitter and YouTube are providing real-time updates from the polls, voter by voter.

Taking the Digital Pulse of Voters, One at a Time - Bits Blog - NYTimes.com 2008

Narby was in full flight, with Hugh and Ertz calling vainly after him.

Destiny Narrowly Avoided 2010