have pity
i noun
1.
sympathetic or kindly sorrow evoked by the suffering, distress, or misfortune of another, often leading one to give relief or aid or to show mercy: to feel pity for astarving child.
2.
a cause or reason for pity, sorrow, or regret: What a pity you could not go!
verb (used with object)
3.
to feel pity or compassion for; be sorry for; commiserate with.
verb (used without object)
Idioms 4.
to have compassion; feel pity.
5.
have/take pity, to show mercy or compassion.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source
|
Link To have pity
00:10
Have pity
is always a great word to know.
So is quincunx. Does it mean:
| an arrangement of five objects, as trees, in a square or rectangle, one at each corner and one in the middle. |
| a gadget; dingus; thingumbob. |
Collins
World English Dictionary
pity (ˈpɪtɪ) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —n , pl pities | |
| 1. | sympathy or sorrow felt for the sufferings of another |
| 2. | have pity on, take pity on to have sympathy or show mercy for |
| 3. | something that causes regret or pity |
| 4. | an unfortunate chance: what a pity you can't come |
| 5. | more's the pity it is highly regrettable (that) |
| —vb , pities, pities, pitying, pitied | |
| 6. | (tr) to feel pity for |
| [C13: from Old French pité, from Latin pietās duty] | |
| 'pitying | |
| —adj | |
| 'pityingly | |
| —adv | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
pity
early 13c., from O.Fr. pite, pitet (11c., Mod.Fr. pitié), from L. pietatem (nom. pietas) "piety, affection, duty," in L.L. "gentleness, kindness, pity," from pius (see pious). Replaced O.E. mildheortness, lit. "mild-heartness," itself a loan-translation of L. misericordia.
English pity and piety were not fully distinguished until 17c. The verb meaning "to feel pity for" is attested from 1520s. Pitiful is c.1300 in sense of "compassionate" (implied in pitifully); mid-15c. in sense of "exciting or deserving pity;" 1580s in sense of "mean, wretched, contemptible."
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
Cite This Source
Nearby Words
Synonyms
Copyright © 2013 Dictionary.com, LLC. All rights reserved.
