Lady Horton made great prattle to little purpose; Lord Gervase followed her example, whilst Diana, whose alert if trivial mind was the one that might have offered assistance, sat silent.
Every spar that could carry a sail was rigged, while the canvas almost swept the water on either side of us, but all to little purpose, it seemed.
The carpenter and his crew were called aft to secure the stern ports and to barricade the poop with all the planks and shores they could employ, but to little purpose.
I fear we must, or else raise twelve millions more next year, to as little purpose as we did this, and have consequently a worse peace afterward.
The trifling and frivolous mind is always busied, but to little purpose; it takes little objects for great ones, and throws away upon trifles that time and attention which only important things deserve.
We commonly molest and tire ourselves about things unfit and unnecessary, as Martha troubled herself to little purpose.
Here we sat, but to little purpose, nobody coming at us but to ask for money, not to offer us any goods.
A great deale of tittle tattle discourse to little purpose, I finding her, though in other things a very discreete woman, as very a gossip speaking of her neighbours as any body.
After several meetings with the English commissioners to little purpose, the queen called the regent up to London, that she might be better satisfied by personal conversation with him, about the state of these affairs.
When we first entered the tolbooth of Ayr, there came two and asked some things at me, but they were to little purpose.
As if he should say, you may preach me as long as you will, and to little purpose, if you are not at peace and unity among yourselves.
Warwicke's, about money for Tangier, but to little purpose.
Warwicke's to speak a little about our Tangier business, but to little purpose, my Lord Treasurer being so ill that no business can be done.
His first lessons he received from the parish priest, and afterwards he was taught by a deacon's son, who had studied in the ecclesiastical seminary to so little purpose that he was unable to pass the final examination.
We had a fatiguing walk to little purpose; for when we came to the summit, we found the eastern horizon so foggy, that we could not see above two miles.
It would have been to little purpose if I had left any thing in the house, as it certainly would have been taken by others; especially as I could not sufficiently explain to them my meaning.
I was present when this happened, and sent some of our people after him, which would have been to little purpose, had not some of the natives, of their own accord, pursued the thief.
Our larder had run low again, and Jennifer had spent the earlier hours of the night abroad--to little purpose, as it chanced.
I stole away when I could, and that night took horse and rode twenty miles to Tom Sumter's camp at Flint Hill--all to little purpose, I fear.
The Scotchman, partly by force, partly by remonstrance, prevented my following him; indeed I began to be of opinion my doing so would be to little purpose.
You have already spent too much time there to little purpose, Mr. Francis.
He was sent by his father's order in quest of his sister Europa; and after wandering about a long time to little purpose, he at last settled in Greece.
Other Medicines were then tried to as little purpose.
Had taken various deobstruent and diuretic medicines to little purpose.
The above list will hopefully provide you with a few useful examples demonstrating the appropriate usage of "little purpose" in a variety of sentences. We hope that you will now be able to make sentences using this group of words.
