distress caused by loss, affliction, disappointment, etc.; grief, sadness, or regret.
2.
a cause or occasion of grief or regret, as an affliction, a misfortune, or trouble: His first sorrow was the bank failure.
3.
the expression of grief, sadness, disappointment, or the like: muffled sorrow.
verb (used without object)
4.
to feel sorrow; grieve.
Origin: before 900; (noun) Middle English;Old Englishsorg; cognate with GermanSorge,Dutchzorg,Old Norsesorg,Gothicsaurga; (v.) Middle Englishsorwen,Old Englishsorgian; cognate with Old High Germansorgôn
Related forms
sor·row·er, noun
sor·row·less, adjective
un·sor·row·ing, adjective
Synonyms 1. Sorrow, distress, grief, misery, woe imply bitter suffering, especially as caused by loss or misfortune. Sorrow is the most general term. Grief is keen suffering, especially for a particular reason. Distress implies anxiety, anguish, or acute suffering caused by the pressure of trouble or adversity. Misery suggests such great and unremitting pain or wretchedness of body or mind as crushes the spirit. Woe is deep or inconsolable grief or misery. 2. adversity. 4. mourn, lament.