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.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Link To pity
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Pity
is one of our favorite verbs.
So is kibitz. Does it mean:
| to bark; yelp. |
| chat, to converse |
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
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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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
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American Heritage
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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Example sentences
Reading these reports leaves one feeling an odd combination of anger and pity.
You'll certainly get no pity from me.
With arguably the coolest job on or off the planet, astronauts need nobody's pity.
But it does mean replacing pity toward them with ambition for them.
Idioms & Phrases
Nearby Words
Synonyms
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