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Definition of pining - 3 dictionary results

pine

2[pahyn] verb, pined, pin⋅ing, noun
–verb (used without object)
1. to yearn deeply; suffer with longing; long painfully (often fol. by for): to pine for one's home and family.
2. to fail gradually in health or vitality from grief, regret, or longing (often fol. by away): Separated by their families, the lovers pined away.
3. Archaic. to be discontented; fret.
–verb (used with object)
4. Archaic. to suffer grief or regret over.
–noun
5. Archaic. painful longing.

Origin:
bef. 900; ME pinen to torture, torment, inflict pain, be in pain; OE pīnian to torture, deriv. of pīn torture (ME pine) < LL pēna, L poena punishment. See pain


1. See yearn. 2. dwindle, decline, languish, droop, waste.
pine 2   (pīn)   
v.   pined, pin·ing, pines

v.   intr.
  1. To feel a lingering, often nostalgic desire.
  2. To wither or waste away from longing or grief: pined away and died.
v.   tr. Archaic
To grieve or mourn for.
n.   Archaic
Intense longing or grief.

[Middle English pinen, from Old English pīnian, to cause to suffer, from *pīne, pain, from Vulgar Latin *pēna, penalty, variant of Latin poena, from Greek poinē; see kwei-1 in Indo-European roots.]

Pining

Pin"ing\, a. 1. Languishing; drooping; wasting away, as with longing.

2. Wasting; consuming. "The pining malady of France." --Shak.
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