pity
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈpɪ.ti/
homophone: pitty
rhymes: -ɪti
Forms: form: pities
form: pittie
form: pitty
form: pitie
Etymology: From Middle English pitye, pitie, pittye, pitee, pite, from Anglo-Norman pité, pittee etc., from Old French pitet, pitié, from Latin pietās. See also the doublets pietà and piety.
Senses: examples: text: I can't feel any pity towards the gang, who got injured while attempting to break into a flat.
text: take pity on someone
text: He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord.
ref: 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Proverbs 19:17:
text: He[…]has no more pity in him than a dog.
ref: c. 1590–1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Two Gentlemen of Verona”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene iii]:
text: The most usuall way to appease those minds we have offended […] is, by submission to move them to commiseration and pitty.
ref: , Folio Society, 2006, p.5
text: Shepard: The Reapers are more advanced than we are. More powerful. More intelligent. They don't fear us, and they'll never take pity on us.
ref: 2012, BioWare, Mass Effect 3 (Science Fiction), Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →OCLC, PC, scene: Prologue: Earth:
synonyms: word: mercy
word: ruth
word: bowels
word: commiseration
word: compassion
word: empathy
word: fellow feeling
word: mercy
word: pity
word: remorse
word: rue
word: ruth
word: sympathy
word: tenderheartedness
word: loving-kindness
glosses: A feeling of sympathy at the misfortune or suffering of someone or something.
examples: text: It's a pity you're feeling unwell because there's a party on tonight.
text: What a pity about the band breaking up. I loved them!
text: It was a thousand pities.
ref: 1759–1767, [Laurence Sterne], The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman, volume (please specify |volume=I to IX), London: […] T. Becket and P. A. Dehondt, […]:
text: What pity is it / That we can die but once to serve our country!
ref: 1712 (date written), [Joseph] Addison, Cato, a Tragedy. […], London: […] J[acob] Tonson, […], published 1713, →OCLC, Act I, scene v, page 1:
text: It is a thousand pities that no more detailed records than those of the guard's journals are available, but enough is known to establish them firmly among the finest feats ever achieved by "A3" Pacifics.
ref: 1941 September, O. S. Nock, “The Locomotives of Sir Nigel Gresley: Part V”, in Railway Magazine, page 395:
synonyms: shame
glosses: Something regrettable.
examples: text: Euen so on the other syde a mans harte is contrite, when it is cutte with compunction, mollified with pitie and deuotion, moued with prayers and exhortation, is affraide by threatninges, allured by kindnes, ashamed of dishonesty, geuing place to Gods inspiration, […]
ref: 1558, Thomas Watson, Holsome and Catholyke doctryne concerninge the seuen Sacramentes of Chrystes Church, […], folio 105ᵛ:
text: A maruellous stoutnesse of a mans minde, accompanied vvith pitie tovvardes his countrie.
 When Lucius Scilla had ouercom by force of armes the Citie of Preyneste he gaue leaue and commission to the Souldiers that they should destroye it, and kyll all the Citizens sauing his Host, meaning with this good turne to shewe himselfe thankfull vnto hym, for manye curtesies receiued of hym at other times in his lodging. But that valiant Citizen hering of this commission, went foorth incontinently out of his house disguised & preasing in among other of his countrimen, sayd, that he had rather die, than owe his life to the destroyer of his countrie.
ref: 1573, James Sanforde, transl., The Garden of Pleasure […], folio 58ᵛ:
text: The Church of Rome beyng moued neither with pitie, zeale, truth, reasõ, nor honesty, but onely with ambition and couetousnesse refuseth none, so they will shew thẽ selues to be of that Catholicke Church. Traytours, murtherers, theeues, coseners, cutters, adulters, baudes, strumpets and all other gracelesse persons may vpon the sayd cõditiõ haue safe accesse to Rome and be of that Church.
ref: 1579 July 19, John Dyos, A Sermon preached at Paules Crosse the 19. of Iuli 1579 […], published 1579, folios 48ᵛ–49ʳ:
glosses: Piety.
Related terms: piety
pious
pity fuck