Null, a.
Etymology: [L. nullus not any, none; ne not + ullus any, a dim. of unus one; cf. F. nul. See No, and One, and cf. None.]
Of no legal or binding force or validity; of no efficacy; invalid; void; nugatory; useless. Faultily faultless, icily regular, splendidly null, Dead perfection; no more. Tennyson.
3 other Webster entries under this spelling
Null, n.
1. Something that has no force or meaning.
2. That which has no value; a cipher; zero. Bacon. Null method (Physics.), a zero method. See under Zero.
Null, v. t.
To annul. [Obs.] Milton.
Null, n.
One of the beads in nulled work.
Shades of meaning
Fernald has no entry of its own for null; he lists it under vain.
He lists it without comment; the entries above explain its neighbors.