PITY • DICCIONARIO INGLES.COM • Definition of Pity

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/pˈɪti/ Listen

noun

Pity n. (pl. pities)

1.

Piety. (Obs.)

2.

A feeling for the sufferings or distresses of another or others; sympathy with the grief or misery of another; compassion; fellow-feeling; commiseration. "He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord." "He... has no more pity in him than a dog."

3.

A reason or cause of pity, grief, or regret; a thing to be regretted. "The more the pity." "What pity is it That we can die but once to serve our country!" Note: In this sense, sometimes used in the plural, especially in the colloquialism: "It is a thousand pities."

Synonyms: Compassion; mercy; commiseration; condolence; sympathy, fellow-suffering; fellow-feeling. Pity, Sympathy, Compassion. Sympathy is literally fellow-feeling, and therefore requiers a certain degree of equality in situation, circumstances, etc., to its fullest exercise. Compassion is deep tenderness for another under severe or inevitable misfortune. Pity regards its object not only as suffering, but weak, and hence as inferior.

verb

Pity v. t. (past & past part. pitied; pres. part. pitying)

1.

To feel pity or compassion for; to have sympathy with; to compassionate; to commiserate; to have tender feelings toward (any one), awakened by a knowledge of suffering. "Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him."

2.

To move to pity; used impersonally. (Obs.) "It pitieth them to see her in the dust."

Pity v. i. To be compassionate; to show pity. "I will not pity, nor spare, nor have mercy."

See images of 'Pity'

Etymology of 'Pity'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

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"Pity" Quotes from Famous Books

... "More's the pity. But it was none of poor Sir Piers's doing!" replied Titus; "he had no will of his own, poor fellow, during his life, and the devil a will was he likely to have after his death. It was all Lady Rookwood's doing," added he, in a whisper. "I, his medical adviser and confidential friend, was ...

— Rookwood • William Harrison Ainsworth

... you at home. Will all who pity the little wives pray for the men of India? Pray for those who are honestly striving to rid the land of this shameful curse. Pray that they may be nerved for the fight by the power of God's right arm. Pray for all the irresolute. "A sound of battle is in the land, . . . the Lord hath opened His ...

— Things as They Are - Mission Work in Southern India • Amy Wilson-Carmichael

... so they have allowed him to use the release of Sanguily as a pretext for disagreeing with the government, and resigning his position in Cuba. The Spaniards seem to be most careful of their friends' feelings, and most polite in all their dealings with one another. It is a pity that this very delicate code of honor does not prevent them from murdering helpless ...

— The Great Round World and What Is Going On In It, Vol. 1, No. 20, March 25, 1897 - A Weekly Magazine for Boys and Girls • Various

... and barking sound Death wept and nothing said; and presently Man arose and went wondering away; for he knew not if Death wept out of pity for his opponent, or because he knew that he should not have such sport again when the old game was over and Man was gone, or whether because perhaps, for some hidden reason, he could never repeat on Earth ...

— Fifty-One Tales • Lord Dunsany [Edward J. M. D. Plunkett]

... which, and struggling with the wild sea-waves that every moment,threatened to swallow it up, he showed his daughter a fine large ship, which he told her was full of living beings like themselves. "O my dear father," said she, "if by your art you have raised this dreadful storm, have pity on their sad distress. See! the vessel will be dashed to pieces. Poor souls! they will all perish. If I had power I would sink the sea beneath the earth, rather than the good ship should be destroyed, with all the precious ...

— Tales from Shakespeare • Charles and Mary Lamb

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