I.invalid.
I. Lit.
A. Undecided, unfixed, void, of no effect: “quod modo erat ratum, irritum est,” Ter. Phorm, 4, 7, 58: “testamentum irritum facere,” Cic. Phil. 2, 42, 109: “testamentum pro irrito habere,” Suet. Tib. 51; Gai. Inst. 2, 146 sq.; Paul. Sent. 3, 5, 14: “injurias rescindere et irritas facere,” Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 26, § 63: “quaeque augur injusta, nefasta, vitiosa, dira, defixerit, inrita infectaque sunto,” id. Leg. 2, 8, 21: “omnia ab iis acta,” Vell. 2, 43, 1: “pacta,” Sil. 6, 696: “Tiberii voluntas,” Suet. Calig. 14: “somnia,” of no significance, id. Aug. 91: “Remus aves irritas habuit,” Gell. 13, 14.—
B. Vain, useless, without effect, ineffectual: “ingrata atque irrita esse omnia intellego,” Plaut. As. 1, 2, 10: “inceptum,” Liv. 29, 35; 24, 19: “dona,” Verg. G. 4, 519: “tela,” id. A. 2, 459: “moenia,” Ov. M. 12, 587: “labor anni,” id. ib. 1, 273; Quint. 12, 1, 13: “verba,” Ov. R. Am. 286: “tua dicta factaque,” Cat. 30, 10: “spes,” Liv. 22, 20; Stat. Th. 10, 45: “oblivio,” Liv. 28, 29: “lingua (Cassandrae),” Prop. 3, 13 (4, 12), 66: “remedium,” Tac. H. 4, 81: “preces,” Plin. Pan. 26: “ova,” fruitless, infertile, Plin. 10, 58, 79, § 160.—
II. Transf., of persons, that does or undertakes a thing in vain, to no purpose, without effect.
(α).
With gen.: “irritus legationis,” Tac. H. 4, 32: “consilii,” Vell. 2, 63, 2: “propositi,” Val. Max. 4, 3, 3 ext.: “spei,” vainly hoping, Curt. 6, 5, 31: “incepti,” Sil. 7, 131.—
(β).
Absol.: “variis assultibus irritus urget,” Verg. A. 5, 442: “venit et e templis irrita turba domum,” without a response, Tib. 2, 3, 22: “irriti legati remittuntur,” Tac. A. 15, 25: “domum irritus rediit,” Sen. Ben. 6, 11: “discedere irritum putebat,” Curt. 4, 4, 2: irritus qui habebatur, laudabatur, good for nothing, Cat. ap. Gell. 11, 2, 2.—Subst.: irrĭtum , i, n., nothingness, vanity, worthlessness: “spes ad irritum redacta,” Liv. 28, 31: “spes ad irritum cadens,” id. 2, 6: “victoria ad inritum revolvebatur,” Tac. H. 3, 26: “cecidisse in inritum labores,” id. ib. 3, 53 fin.: “irrita dicere,” useless words, Ov. M. 11, 40.—Adv.: irrĭtē , in vain, Cassiod. Var. 1, 4; 12, 2.
