transitive. Chiefly with impersonal subject and with the person (in early use dative or accusative) as object. To move to pity or compassion. Also…

transitive. To rouse or excite feeling in (a person); to affect with emotion, esp. with tender feeling or compassion; to stir (the feelings…

transitive. ? To affect with compassion, touch the heart of.

To soften. transitive. To soften (the heart, mind, etc.); to cause (a person) to soften. Obsolete.

transitive. To move to pity, excite the compassion of; to grieve. Now regional.

transitive. To move (a person, the heart, etc.) deeply. Also: to cause to mourn or grieve. Obsolete.

transitive. To overwhelm, touch, or soften (a person, a person's feelings, etc.), esp. by appealing to pity, love, etc.; to persuade, bring round…

figurative. To stir the bowels of, move or arouse the compassion of. Obsolete. rare.

transitive. To make tender: = tender, v.2 1 spec. (originally U.S.) to make (food, esp. meat) tender. Also absol.