Pity
WordNet
noun
(1) The humane quality of understanding the suffering of others and wanting to do something about it
(2) An unfortunate development
"It's a pity he couldn't do it"
(3) A feeling of sympathy and sorrow for the misfortunes of others
"The blind are too often objects of pity"
verb
(4) Share the suffering of
WiktionaryText
Etymology
From , etc., from , , from .
Noun
pity (countable and uncountable but not used in the plural)
- A feeling of sympathy at the misfortune or suffering of someone or something.
- 1603, John Florio, translating Michel de Montaigne, Essays, Folio Society 2006, p. 5:
- The most usuall way to appease those minds we have offended [...] is, by submission to move them to commiseration and pitty.
- 1603, John Florio, translating Michel de Montaigne, Essays, Folio Society 2006, p. 5:
- (countable but not used in the plural) Something regrettable.
- It's a pity you're feeling unwell because there's a party on tonight.
- 'Tis Pity She's a Whore — title of novel by John Ford