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pity Definition

pity (pit′ē)

noun pl. pit′·ies

  1. sorrow felt for another's suffering or misfortune; compassion; sympathy
  2. the ability to feel such compassion
  3. a cause for sorrow or regret

Etymology: ME pite < OFr pitet < L pietas: see piety

transitive verb, intransitive verb pit′·ied, pit′y·ing

to feel pity (for)

Etymology: < pitythe or < MFr pitier < OFr piter

pity Related Forms

pit′y·ingly adverb

pity Idioms

have pity on

or take pity on

to show pity or compassion for

pity Synonyms

pity

n.

  1. Compassionate feeling

    sympathy, compassion, charity, commiseration, condolence, softheartedness, tenderness, pathos, compunction, understanding, mercy, forbearance, ruth, warmheartedness, kindliness, fellow feeling, brotherly love, unselfishness, benevolence, favor, philanthropy, largeheartedness, clemency, humanity; see also kindness 1.

    Antonyms hatred*, severity*, ferocity. *

  2. Anything that might move one to pity, sense 1

    mishap, mischance, ill luck; see catastrophe, disaster, misfortune 1.

pity implies sorrow felt for another's suffering or misfortune, sometimes connoting slight contempt because the object is regarded as weak or inferior he felt pity for a man so ignorant; compassion implies sorrow for another's sufferings or trouble accompanied by an urge to help or spare moved by compassion, they did not press for payment; commiseration implies openly expressed feelings of pity or sympathetic sorrow she wept with her friend in commiseration; sympathy, in this connection, implies such kinship of feeling as enables one to really understand or even to share the sorrow, trouble, etc. of another a friend I can always turn to for sympathy; condolence now usually implies a formal expression of sympathy with another in deep sorrow a letter of condolence

have <strong>or </strong>take pity on

show pity to, spare, pardon; see forgive 1, pity 2.

pity Synonyms

pity

v.

  1. To feel pity for

    feel sorry for, feel for, sympathize with, commiserate, be sorry for, condole, be sympathetic to, show sympathy, express sympathy for, feel with, bleed for, grieve with, weep for; see also comfort, sympathize.

    Antonyms censure*, rebuke*, become angry.

  2. To be merciful to

    spare, take pity on, show pity to, show forgiveness to, have mercy on, pardon, give quarter, put out of one's misery, reprieve, grant amnesty to; see also forgive 1.

    Antonyms destroy*, condemn*, accuse.

pity Usage Examples

Object

smile: In this case you would merely remark, with a pitying smile, " DEFECTIVE Conclusion!

Converse of object

  • seem: It seems almost a pity I repented the same evening.
  • evoke: Pathos Poetry ( or other literature ) which evokes pity or sadness in the reader e.g. Send No Money by Philip Larkin.
  • feel: They don't feel pity, or remorse, or fear.
  • take: They cannot take pity on a widow or do good to an orphan.
  • want: She didn't want pity, didn't want to be told what she should do, should have done.
  • have: Have pity on me, have pity on me, O you my friends, for the hand of God has touched me!

Preposition: that

  • none: Just a pity that none of us could afford to do any shopping there.
  • author: It is a pity that Carolingian authors are silent in too much of this book.
  • cannot: Pity that civilized arguments cannot be terminated in the same way!

Adjective modifier

  • infinite: I lay there a long time, sobbing, " What a pity, what an infinite pity!
  • great: What a great pity to see a project with such remarkable talent vanish.
  • real: It is indeed a real pity, about Bob's depressions.
  • little: Translate The prince who has little pity of mercy will come through death to change ( and become ) very knowledgeable.

Modifies a noun

party: Do you have a pity party and invite yourself?

Noun used with modifier

  • self: Bishop Anthony also said: " Self pity will not advance the cause of the kingdom of God.
  • I: Now, by my life, I pity you.
  • tender: All this shews that he has a full heart of tender pity.

Possessives

sake: For pity's sake, I'm a cat.

Preposition: of

war: For nearly two hours we were buffeted by the futility of war, seared by the pity of war.

Browse dictionary entries near pity

  1. ‹ pituitary
  2. ‹ Pittsburgh
  3. ‹ pittosporum
  4. ‹ pitter-patter
  5. ‹ pitted
  6. ‹ pittance
  7. ‹ Pitt
  8. ‹ Pitot tube
  9. ‹ Pitot-static tube
  10. ‹ piton
  1. pitying ›
  2. pityriasis ›
  3. Pius ›
  4. Piute ›
  5. pivot ›
  6. pivotal ›
  7. pix ›
  8. pixel ›
  9. pixie ›
  10. pixilated ›