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pity
(redirected from taking pity)

   Also found in: Legal 0.01 sec.
pit·y  (pt)
n. pl. pit·ies
1. Sympathy and sorrow aroused by the misfortune or suffering of another.
2. A matter of regret: It's a pity she can't attend the reception.
v. pit·ied, pit·y·ing, pit·ies
v.tr.
To feel pity for.
v.intr.
To feel pity.
Idiom:
have/take pity on
To show compassion for.

[Middle English pite, from Old French, from Latin piets, piety, compassion, from pius, dutiful.]

pity·ing·ly adv.
Synonyms: pity, compassion, commiseration, sympathy, condolence, empathy
These nouns signify kindly concern aroused by the misfortune, affliction, or suffering of another. Pity often implies a feeling of sorrow that inclines one to help or to show mercy: felt pity for the outcast.
Compassion denotes deep awareness of the suffering of another and the wish to relieve it: "Compassion is not weakness, and concern for the unfortunate is not socialism" (Hubert H. Humphrey).
Commiseration signifies the expression of pity or sorrow: expressed their commiseration over the failure of the experiment.
Sympathy denotes the act of or capacity for sharing in the sorrows or troubles of another: "They had little sympathy to spare for their unfortunate enemies" (William Hickling Prescott).
Condolence is a formal, conventional expression of pity, usually to relatives upon a death: extending condolences to the bereaved family.
Empathy is an identification with and understanding of another's situation, feelings, and motives: Having changed schools several times as a child, I feel empathy for the transfer students.

pity [ˈpɪtɪ]
n pl pities
1. sympathy or sorrow felt for the sufferings of another
have (or take) pity on to have sympathy or show mercy for
3. something that causes regret or pity
4. an unfortunate chance what a pity you can't come
more's the pity it is highly regrettable (that)
vb pities, pitying, pitied
(tr) to feel pity for
[from Old French pité, from Latin pietās duty]
pitying  adj
pityingly  adv

Pity of prisoners: a gang or group of prisoners—Lydgate, 1476.
Pity 

See Also: KINDNESS

  1. As fire drives out fire, so pity [drives out] pity —William Shakespeare
  2. Collected sympathy like a street singer catching coins in a hat —Josephine Tey
  3. Felt a positive gush of pity … like the rising of a warm fountain —Rebecca West
  4. Felt the dull old nagging pull of other people’s trouble, like a toothache you can’t leave alone —Ross Macdonald
  5. Pity … green as grain —E. E. Cummings
  6. Ready sympathy that can be tapped like a vat —Sharon Sheehe Stark
  7. Wanting pity like a cat wants the mange —John Farris
  8. Wiped the pity away like cold sweat —James Crumley

pity


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