pity (ˈpɪtɪ
)
Definitions
noun
Word forms: plural, pities
- sympathy or sorrow felt for the sufferings of another
- See have pity on
- something that causes regret or pity
- an unfortunate chance ⇒
what a pity you can't come
- See more's the pity
verb
Word forms: pities, pitying, pitied
- (tr) to feel pity for
Alternative Forms
ˈpitying adjective ˈpityingly adverbWord Origin
C13: from Old French pité, from Latin pietās dutySynonyms
View thesaurus entry=
compassion,
understanding,
charity,
sympathy,
distress,
sadness,
sorrow,
kindness,
tenderness,
condolence,
commiseration,
fellow feeling,
= feel sorry for
feel for,
sympathize with grieve for weep for
take pity on,
empathize with bleed for commiserate with have compassion for condole with
Translations
- British English:
pity
If you feel pity for someone, you feel very sorry for them.He felt pity for her.ˈpɪtɪ NOUN He felt pity for her.
- Spanish:
lástima
nf
- French:
pitié
nf
- German:
Mitleid
nnt
- Chinese: 憾事 n
- Arabic: حَنان n
- Portuguese: compaixão nf
- Russian: жалость nf
- Croatian: šteta nf
- Czech: lítost nf
- Danish: medlidenhed nutr
- Dutch: medelijden nnt
- Finnish: sääli n
- Greek: συμπόνοια nf
- Italian: pietà nf
- Japanese: 哀れみ n
- Korean: 동정 n
- Norwegian: medlidenhet nm
- Polish: litość nf
- Brazilian Portuguese: compaixão nf
- European Spanish:
lástima
nf
- Swedish: medlidande nnttr
- Thai: ความสงสาร n
- Turkish: acıma n
- Vietnamese: lòng thương n
- British English:
pity
If you pity someone, you feel very sorry for them.I don't know whether to hate or pity him.ˈpɪtɪ VERB I don't know whether to hate or pity him.
- Spanish:
compadecer
v
- French:
avoir pitié de
vi
- German:
bemitleiden
v
- Chinese: 怜悯 v
- Arabic: يُشْفِقُ عَلى v
- Portuguese: ter pena v
- Russian: жалеть v
- Croatian: sažaljenje nnt
- Czech: politovat v litovat
- Danish: have ondt af v
- Dutch: medelijden hebben v
- Finnish: sääliä v
- Greek: συμπονώ v
- Italian: avere pietà v
- Japanese: 哀れむ v
- Korean: 불쌍히 여기다 v
- Norwegian: synes synd på v
- Polish: pożałować v żałować
- Brazilian Portuguese: ter pena v
- European Spanish:
compadecer
v
- Swedish: tycka synd om v
- Thai: สงสาร v
- Turkish: acımak v
- Vietnamese: thương hại v
Usage examples
I looked back and her face crumpled a little with pity or worry, I couldn't decide.
, BLOOD IS DIRT (2002)No longer a threat to respectable society, the miners became recipients of middle-class pity.
Spiked (2003)You may judge the villain, or find him despicable, but only if he earns your pity as well.
Globe and Mail (2003)Our Dunfermline showbiz correspondent tells us:'It's a pity the glamorous couple were not there.
Glasgow Herald (2002)Even in the darkness, Paolo could tell that it was a smile of pity : the smile of a mother.
, THE COLOUR OF HEAVEN (2003)