irrĭtus (inr-), a, um, adj. [2. inratus], 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. (a). 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.— (b). 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.