Lewis & Short

futtĭlis (less correctly fūtĭlis, Curt. Gr. Etym. p. 204), e, adj. [fundo; cf. futis], that easily pours out.

  1. I. Lit., only subst.: futtĭle, is, n., a water-vessel, broad above and pointed below, used at sacrifices to Vesta and Ceres, Don. Ter. And. 3, 5, 3; Ter. Phorm. 5, 1, 19; Schol. Stat. Th. 8, 297; Schol. Hor. A. P. 231; Serv. Verg. A. 11, 339.
  2. II. Transf., in gen., that can not contain (very rare): canes, that void their excrement through fear, Phaedr. 4, 18, 33: glacies, brittle, Verg. A. 12, 740.
    1. B. Trop., untrustworthy, vain, worthless, futile (class.; syn.: frivolus, vanus, levis): servon fortunas meas me commisisse futtili! Ter. And. 3, 5, 3; cf.: irrideamus haruspices: vanos, futtiles esse dicamus, Cic. Div. 1, 19, 36; and: quis non odit sordidos, vanos, leves, futtiles? id. Fin. 3, 11, 38: locutores (with leves et importuni), Gell. 1, 15, 1: auctor, Verg. A. 11, 339: competitores, Gell. 4, 8, 4; Enn. ap. Non. 511, 6 (Trag. v. 349 Vahl.): futtiles commenticiaeque sententiae, Cic. N. D. 1, 8, 18; cf.: dicit quaedam futtilia et frivola, Gell. 16, 12, 1: opes ejus, quae futiles et conruptae sunt, Sall. H. Fragm. 1, 41, 20 Dietsch: alacritas, Cic. Tusc. 4, 17, 37: laetitiae, id. ib. 5, 6, 16: et caducum tempus, Plin. Ep. 3, 7, 14: lingua, Phaedr. 5, 2, 10: de causa, Plin. 33, 2, 8, § 32: nec futilis ictus, Sil. 15, 797.
      Hence, adv., in vain, idly, uselessly (anteand post-class.).
      1. 1. Form futtĭle: factum futtile, Enn. ap. Non. 514, 14 (Trag. v. 350 Vahl.): provenisti, Plaut. Stich. 2, 2, 73 Ritschl.
      2. 2. Form futtĭlĭter: blaterata, App. Mag. p. 275: futile futtiliter, Non. 514, 13.