their spells were vain
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
The hags returned To their queen in sorrowful mood, Crying that witches have no power
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “their spells were vain” mean?
The hags returned To their queen in sorrowful mood, Crying that witches have no power
Is “their spells were vain” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.