pity - Wiktionary, the free dictionary (original) (raw)

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

From Middle English pitye, pitie, pittye, pitee, pite, from Anglo-Norman pité, pittee etc., from Old French pitet, pitié, from Latin pietās. See also the doublets pietà and piety.

pity (countable and uncountable, plural pities)

  1. (uncountable) A feeling of sympathy at the misfortune or suffering of someone or something.
    Synonyms: mercy, ruth; see also Thesaurus:compassion
    I can't feel any pity towards the gang, who got injured while attempting to break into a flat.
    take pity on someone
    • c. 1590–1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Two Gentlemen of Verona”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene iii]:
      He […] has no more pity in him than a dog.
    • , Folio Society, 2006, p.5:
      The most usuall way to appease those minds we have offended […] is, by submission to move them to commiseration and pitty.
    • 2012, BioWare, Mass Effect 3 (Science Fiction), Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →OCLC, PC, scene: Prologue: Earth:
      Shepard: The Reapers are more advanced than we are. More powerful. More intelligent. They don't fear us, and they'll never take pity on us.
  2. (uncountable) Feeling of contempt one has for someone who is hopelessly inferior.
  3. (countable, now singular only) Something regrettable.
    Synonym: shame
    It's a pity you're feeling unwell because there's a party on tonight.
    What a pity about the band breaking up. I loved them!
    • 1712 (date written), [Joseph] Addison, Cato, a Tragedy. […], London: […] J[acob] Tonson, […], published 1713, →OCLC, Act IV, scene i, page 53:
      What pity is it / That we can die but once to serve our country!
    • 1941 September, O. S. Nock, “The Locomotives of Sir Nigel Gresley: Part V”, in Railway Magazine, page 395:
      It is a thousand pities that no more detailed records than those of the guard's journals are available, but enough is known to establish them firmly among the finest feats ever achieved by "A3" Pacifics.
  4. (obsolete, Early Modern) Piety.
    • 1558, Thomas Watson, Holsome and Catholyke doctryne concerninge the seuen Sacramentes of Chrystes Church, […]‎[1], folio 105v:
      Euen so on the other syde a mans harte is contrite, when it is cutte with compunction, mollified with pitie and deuotion, moued with prayers and exhortation, is affraide by threatninges, allured by kindnes, ashamed of dishonesty, geuing place to Gods inspiration, […]
    • 1573, James Sanforde, transl., The Garden of Pleasure […]‎[2], folio 58v:
      A maruellous stoutnesse of a mans minde, accompanied vvith pitie tovvardes his countrie.
      When Lucius Scilla had ouercom by force of armes the Citie of Preyneste he gaue leaue and commission to the Souldiers that they should destroye it, and kyll all the Citizens sauing his Host, meaning with this good turne to shewe himselfe thankfull vnto hym, for manye curtesies receiued of hym at other times in his lodging. But that valiant Citizen hering of this commission, went foorth incontinently out of his house disguised & preasing in among other of his countrimen, sayd, that he had rather die, than owe his life to the destroyer of his countrie.
    • 1579 July 19, John Dyos, A Sermon preached at Paules Crosse the 19. of Iuli 1579 […]‎[3], published 1579, folios 48v–49r:
      The Church of Rome beyng moued neither with pitie, zeale, truth, reasõ, nor honesty, but onely with ambition and couetousnesse refuseth none, so they will shew thẽ selues to be of that Catholicke Church. Traytours, murtherers, theeues, coseners, cutters, adulters, baudes, strumpets and all other gracelesse persons may vpon the sayd cõditiõ haue safe accesse to Rome and be of that Church.

feeling of sympathy — see also compassion

something regrettable

pity (third-person singular simple present pities, present participle pitying, simple past and past participle pitied)

  1. (transitive) To feel pity for (someone or something). [from 15th c.]
    Synonyms: commiserate, feel sorry for; see also Thesaurus:pity
    You have got to pity the guy - he lost his wife, mother and job in the same month.
    • 1793 March 19, Hester Piozzi, Thraliana:
      Well! the King of France died pardoning & pitying all those who had tortured his Soul & Body, a great Pattern for us all.
    • 1902, Hilaire Belloc, The Path to Rome:
      Nor could she get round them on a single point, and I pitied her so much that I bought bread and wine off her to console her, and I let her overcharge me, and went out into the afterglow with her benediction, followed also by the farewells of the middle-class, who were now taking their coffee at little tables outside the house.
  2. (transitive) To feel contempt for someone who is hopelessly inferior.
  3. (transitive, now regional) To make (someone) feel pity; to provoke the sympathy or compassion of. [from 16th c.]
    Hypernyms: see Thesaurus:sadden
    • a. 1681, Richard Allestree, Of Gods Method in giving Deliverance:
      It pitieth them to see her in the dust.

pity!

  1. Ellipsis of what a pity.
    Synonyms: shame, what a pity, what a shame; see also Thesaurus:what a pity

pity

  1. inflection of pít:
    1. inanimate masculine plural passive participle
    2. feminine plural passive participle

pity

  1. past passive participle of piś

pity (passive adjectival)

  1. masculine singular passive adjectival participle of pić

pity f

  1. inflection of pita:
    1. genitive singular
    2. nominative/accusative/vocative plural