I.useless, unserviceable, unprofitable; constr. absol., with ad, or with dat. (class.).
I. In gen.
A. Of persons.
(α).
Absol.: “homo iners atque inutilis,” Cic. Off. 3, 6, 31; Verg. A. 2, 647; 10, 794: “dum meliorem ex ducibus inutilem vulnus faceret,” Liv. 21, 53: “turba,” id. 30, 30; Just. 2, 11, 3.—Sup., Col. 3, 10, 6.—
(β).
With ad: “per aetatem ad pugnam inutiles,” Caes. B. G. 2, 16: “ad rem gerendam,” id. B. C. 3, 43; Val. Max. 3, 2, 11.—
(γ).
With dat.: “aetate inutiles bello,” Caes. B. G. 7, 78: “sibi,” Cic. Inv. 1, 1, 1: “reipublicae,” Liv. 29, 1.—
B. Of inanim. and abstr. things: “rami,” Hor. Epod. 2, 13: “naves ad navigandum inutiles,” Caes. B. G. 4, 29: “tempestas non inutilis ad capiendum consilium,” id. ib. 7, 27: “impedimenta,” Liv. 38, 15 fin.: “ferrum,” Verg. A. 2, 510: “lingua,” Ov. H. 4, 7: “alga,” Hor. C. 3, 7, 10: “et genus et nomen jactare,” id. ib. 1, 14, 3: “inutiles oratori universales quaestiones,” Quint. 3, 5, 12; 5, 10, 82: “ad audiendum,” id. 4, 1, 34.—With subj.-clause: “quod non inutile sit imitari,” Quint. 2, 3, 11; 1, 1, 27; 11, 2, 48 et saep.: “stipulatio,” invalid, Gai. Inst. 3, 97: “fidei commissa,” id. ib. 2, 261.—Sup.: “inutilissimus quisque,” Col. 3, 10, 1.—
II. Esp., hurtful, injurious.
A. Of persons: “seditiosus et inutilis civis,” Cic. Off. 2, 14; so id. ib. 3, 13: “sed sibi inutilior,” Ov. M. 13, 37: “mihi reique publicae,” Hirt. B. Afr. 54. —
B. Of inanim. and abstr. things: “fungus,” Cels. 5, 27, n. 17: “inutile est,” Cic. Off. 3, 13; Plin. 17, 27, 45, § 257: “aquae inutiles pestilentesque,” Sen. Q. N. 6, 27: “oratio,” Liv. 42, 14: “arbitrium,” Ov. M. 11, 100.—Adv.: ĭnū-tĭlĭter .
1. Uselessly, unprofitably: “non inutiliter,” Quint. 2, 4, 18.—