pity1 nounpity2 verb
pitypit‧y1 /ˈpɪti/ ●●○ S3 noun 
WORD ORIGINpity1
Origin:
1200-1300 Old French pité, from Latin pietas ‘piety, pity’, from pius; ➔ PIOUSEXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- I felt such pity for that you girl sitting alone in the bus station.
- I have no pity for people who lie and get caught.
- It's a civil war. They don't want our pity, they need our help.
- She was full of pity for the little boy with no one to love and care for him.
- When I returned to school, my classmates looked at me with pity in their eyes.
- A pity the author only got the respect she deserved after her untimely death.
- A jury felt enough pity for the mayor to find him guilty of a mere misdemeanor rather than a felony.
- Even at nine years old, I thought it was a pity the Druitt women wrinkled up so early.
- He looked up and saw Sylvia looking at him with apprehension and pity.
- I felt an unusual twinge of pity for him and reached out and clasped one of his hands in mine.
- It is a pity, for much of the pleasure of carp fishing is this tuning-in of a highly developed hunting instinct.
- More often auctions are not reviewed; this is a pity, since the management of markets in art deserves scrutiny.
Longman Language Activatora feeling of sympathy
the feeling you have when you are sorry for someone who is having problems, and you understand how they feel: · Relatives of the aircrash victims were treated with great sympathy.· She looked at him with sympathy.· The trip also is intended to raise money and sympathy for the plight of the Tibetan people.have/feel/express sympathy for somebody: · The Prime Minister expressed outrage at the attack, and sympathy for the families of the victims.deep sympathy (=a very strong feeling of sympathy): · You have my deepest sympathy, and my thoughts are with you.
a feeling that you have when you feel very sorry for someone, often when you are unable to help them: · It's a civil war. They don't want our pity, they need our help.· When I returned to school, my classmates looked at me with pity in their eyes.feel/have pity: · I felt such pity for that young girl sitting alone in the bus station.be full of pity/be filled with pity: · She was full of pity for the little boy with no one to love and care for him.
a strong feeling of pity for someone who is suffering, and a desire to help them: · Of course we must insist on punishment, but the criminal must also be treated with compassion.compassion for/to/towards: · Russell's father had no compassion for his son's physical disabilities.· What are you doing now to show compassion toward the victims of torture?
a sympathetic attitude to someone that is based on your understanding: · Demonstrate your empathy and understanding of your children's problems. · There seems to be a lack of understanding on the part of managers when it comes to employees' personal problems.· The book gave me an understanding of what it must be like to be addicted to drugs.
to feel sorry because someone else is in a bad situation to feel sad for someone because they have had bad luck or they are in a bad situation: · I think he felt sorry for me because I'd just lost my wallet.· He'll probably go to jail for this. It's his wife I feel sorry for.· I feel sorry for the poor person who's going to have to sort this mess out.· I feel really sorry for young married couples these days. It's hard going for them.can't help feeling sorry for somebody (=use this when you should not really feel sorry for someone, but you do): · I know he's being a jerk, but I can't help feeling a little sorry for him.
also sympathise British to feel sad for someone who is having problems, because you understand how they feel: · My dear, I completely understand and sympathize, but there's not much I can do about it, really.sympathize with: · She felt Mark should have sympathised with her and supported her, instead of criticizing. sympathize with somebody's plight/problems/dilemma: · It's hard not to sympathize with the plight of single parents in today's world.
to feel sad for someone who is having problems, because you understand how they feel: · I have great sympathy for anyone who has lived through depression.· It wasn't possible not to feel sympathy for Anna -- she'd lost her husband and her son in the space of only a few weeks.have/feel deep sympathy for: · The judge said he had the deepest sympathy for Maria's situation, but that he had no option but to sentence her.
to sympathize very strongly and sincerely with someone who has problems, is suffering etc: · Of course I feel for him - he's my brother. But he did bring it on himself.· You couldn't help but feel for Charles. He'd been so unlucky in life.
to feel very sorry for someone who is in a much worse situation than you: · I pity anyone who has to feed a family on such a low income.· I don't want you to pity me - I just want you to help me.· He felt pity for Marla out there all by herself in some little nowhere town.
spoken use this to say that you feel extremely sorry for someone, especially because something very sad has happened to them: · I know how awfully disappointed you must be, and my heart goes out to you.· My heart went out to all those poor little children standing shivering in the cold.
to feel sorry for someone and do something to help them: · The old couple, poor as they were, took pity on her and gave her food.· We walked on through the pouring rain until a kind driver took pity on us and offered us a ride.
to realize that someone is unhappy or having problems, and behave kindly to them: · I'm sure if you talk to your boss, he'll understand.· You can only apologize, and hope that she'll understand.understand why/what/how: · I completely understand how things are when money is tight.· We're trying very hard to understand what she's going through.
when you wish that something had not happened or was not true use this to show that you wish something had not happened, or you wish something was not true: · There's nothing I can do about it, unfortunately.· Unfortunately, Dr Cole cannot spend as long with each patient as she would like.· We took some fantastic photos, but unfortunately the film got damaged.
unfortunately - use this to talk about events or situations that are very sad: · Sadly, this fine old theatre was destroyed by fire in 1993.· Alice was rushed to hospital, but sadly she died two hours later.
spoken say this to show that you feel disappointed or sad about something that has happened: · It's a pity about the weather - it was so nice yesterday.it's a pity/shame (that): · It's a shame you can't come with us.what a pity/shame! (=say this to show that you feel sad or sympathetic about something): · "Janet didn't get that job." "Oh, what a pity!"a real/terrible shame: · They've cut down all those beautiful trees. It's a terrible shame.
spoken use this to show that you feel upset about something sad that has happened, and you wish the situation was different: it's sad (that): · It's so sad that your father can't be here to see this.it's sad when: · It's sad when a marriage breaks up, especially after all those years.it's very/terribly sad: · The town centre is dying, and most of the shops have closed down. It's terribly sad.
especially American use this to say you are disappointed or sad that someone could not do something, or something could not happen: · "Senator Volk's out of town." "Too bad! I wanted to meet him and talk about the campaign."too bad (that): · Too bad Dickie isn't here to enjoy the fun.· It's too bad you have to leave, just when we need you most.
spoken say this when something causes disappointment, suffering or is inconvenient etc: · The wedding was lovely. It was just unfortunate about the rain. it's unfortunate (that): · It's unfortunate that you have to travel so far to work.
British spoken say this when you wish that the fact that you have just mentioned was not true: · Now I'm too old to fall in love, more's the pity.· I'm afraid this car doesn't belong to me, more's the pity.
formal use this when you consider the existing situation to be unsatisfactory: · Regrettably Jousse's work has not been translated into English.· The poor and disadvantaged will, regrettably, be the ones to suffer as a result of the new law.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY Meaning 2verbs
It’s a great pity that none of his poems survive. She stood feeling lost until an elderly man took pity on her.COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADJECTIVE
· No one can look at these photographs and not feel pity.
(=feel sorry for someone and treat them with sympathy)· He was expecting a prison sentence but the judge took pity on him.
phrases· His heart was filled with pity for them.
· Annie experienced a sudden feeling of pity for the young man.
· The woman looked so dejected that a wave of pity washed over me.
(=a small feeling of pity)· Charles even felt a twinge of pity for Mrs Sweet.
(=someone who people feel sorry for)· He was a proud man and he didn't want to be treated as an object of pity.
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES It’s a great pity that none of his poems survive. She stood feeling lost until an elderly man took pity on her.· It was a great pity that the team was not allowed to perform at other displays during the anniversary year.· It's a great pity she can't be included.· For myself, a great pity.· This by-law has never been repealed and it is a great pity that it is not still rigidly enforced.· He says all the signs are it could soon be as bad as last year, which would be a great pity.· It is a great pity that such reactionary ideas are still harboured by the Labour party in Havering and elsewhere.· If you can go again this is no problem, but for the once-only visitor it is a great pity.
NOUN· We have often a choice: self pity or spiritual power through suffering.· Although we do feel sympathy for Blanche she seems to wallow in her self pity.· True enough, Morrissey disregarded his original bedsit self pity and began to write from the third person.· By precisely wallowing in her own guilt and self pity she then needs to heighten her self esteem.· There is a lot of regret and self pity in his words.
VERB· I find that few fishkeepers use white worm nowadays and I feel that is a pity.· Charles even felt a twinge of pity for Mrs Sweet.· A jury felt enough pity for the mayor to find him guilty of a mere misdemeanor rather than a felony.· For Alex he felt nothing but pity.· He felt a struggling pity and regret.· She felt a stab of pity.· He introduced feeling, compassion and pity to compensate for the loss of the comic element.
· To some romantics this may seem a pity.· Though to her, it must seem rather a pity.· On consideration, it seemed a pity to waste this beautiful weather immured in her cabin.· It seemed a pity to disturb them as we went about our daily chores.· It just seemed a pity that Norfolk should have no more appetising soft fruit.· It seemed a pity to waste the unused oxygen in the little chamber, but there was no purpose in waiting.· It seemed a pity to wake Jacqui.· It's just that it seems a pity for him to reveal his identity.
· Finally, J. got tired of my everlasting complaints, took pity on me and made me a small electric fire.· Maybe they took pity on me, but they were all very nice.· The Nonconforming preachers took pity on the poor people left behind and ministered to them in their distress.· Nevertheless, the new mayor of the town, Don Bernardo, takes pity on Jacinta.· Please take pity on me and write!· On whom I think the world ought to take a little pity.· When I tried I found I couldn't, but Bri took pity on me and we spent hours playing cards.· The woman with whom we boarded took pity on me and I worked in the house with her.
PHRASES FROM THE ENTRY► a pity► for pity’s sakePHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES► a gush of relief/self-pity etc
1a pity spoken used to show that you are disappointed about something and you wish things could happen differently SYN shame(it’s a) pity (that)- I'm afraid this car doesn't belong to me, more's the pity.
- Now I'm too old to fall in love, more's the pity.
- The new staff are all women, more's the pity.
- General Motors and Ford have not been dogged by raiders - more's the pity.
- No Jane Carlyle, more's the pity.
- So, more's the pity, are men like Sir Gordon Reece.
- They don't make films like his anymore - more's the pity.
- A spendthrift with a regular, secure income is an object of desire among bankers.
- Because of this, a household obliged to sponsor many feasts gains no prestige, but becomes rather an object of pity.
- He left Downing Street in 1963 almost an object of ridicule, condemned in Gibbonian terms as the symbol of national decay.
- Mitch's image alone does not make clear that he will be mocked rather than taken seriously as an object of desire.
- She became an object of ridicule.
- Unfortunately Piggy had been demoted to an object of ridicule by this point in the book so nobody listened to him.
- Yet he is held up as an object of ridicule and loathing throughout the land.
- Ego takes great pleasure in wallowing in self-pity, and defending itself against all charges, whatever the cost to others.
- Look at the criticism for any opportunity to learn from it and to change, without wallowing in self-pity.
- What hope can they have, if they see you slumping about like a filleted herring, wallowing in self-pity?
It’s a pity that he didn’t accept the job. It’s a great pity Joyce wasn’t invited. I like Charlie. Pity he had to marry that awful woman. A pity we can’t find the guy who did it.what/that’s a pity ‘Are you married?’ ‘No.’ ‘What a pity.’it’s a pity to do something It would be a pity to give up now – you’ve nearly finished.2[uncountable] sympathy for a person or animal who is suffering or unhappypity for He looked exhausted, but Marie felt no pity for him. I listened to Jason’s story with pity. I hated the thought of being an object of pity (=someone who other people feel sorry for).take/have pity on somebody (=feel sorry for someone and treat them with sympathy) He sounded so upset that Leah started to take pity on him.3for pity’s sake British English spoken used to show that you are very annoyed and impatient: For pity’s sake just shut up and let me drive!4more’s the pity spoken especially British English used after describing a situation, to show that you wish it was not true: Sue’s not coming, more’s the pity.COLLOCATIONS– Meaning 2verbsfeel pity (for somebody)· No one can look at these photographs and not feel pity.take/have pity (on somebody) (=feel sorry for someone and treat them with sympathy)· He was expecting a prison sentence but the judge took pity on him.phrasesbe filled with pity/full of pity· His heart was filled with pity for them.a feeling/sense of pity· Annie experienced a sudden feeling of pity for the young man.a wave/surge of pity· The woman looked so dejected that a wave of pity washed over me.a twinge/stab of pity (=a small feeling of pity)· Charles even felt a twinge of pity for Mrs Sweet.an object of pity (=someone who people feel sorry for)· He was a proud man and he didn't want to be treated as an object of pity.pity1 nounpity2 verb
pitypity2 ●●○ verb (past tense and past participle pitied, present participle pitying, third person singular pities) [transitive not usually in progressive] VERB TABLE
pity
| Simple Form | ||
| Present | I, you, we, they | pity |
| he, she, it | pities | |
| Past | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | pitied |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have pitied |
| he, she, it | has pitied | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had pitied |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will pity |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have pitied |
| Continuous Form | ||
| Present | I | am pitying |
| he, she, it | is pitying | |
| you, we, they | are pitying | |
| Past | I, he, she, it | was pitying |
| you, we, they | were pitying | |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have been pitying |
| he, she, it | has been pitying | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had been pitying |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will be pitying |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have been pitying |
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- He felt pity for Marla out there all by herself in some little nowhere town.
- I pity anyone who has to live with Rick.
- I don't want you to pity me - I just want you to help me.
- He knew that he had served Zeus well and that he had done right to pity mortals in their helplessness.
- I had pitied her up there alone, never going out in the evenings, without friends.
- Lucy is much to be pitied.
- On the ballot Tuesday should be the question: Which Bay baseball team do you pity the most?
- She could not apologize, but she could still pity.
- She would never allow him a reason to pity her again, to hold her in contempt.
THESAURUS
(also sympathise British English) to feel sad for someone because you understand their problems: · It must be awful for you – I do sympathize.· He told me how difficult it was dealing with his parents, and I sympathized with him.
to feel sad for someone because they have had bad luck or are in a difficult situation: · I felt really sorry for him when he lost his job.· It’s his wife I feel sorry for – on her own with four kids.
to realize how someone feels and why they behave the way they do, and be kind to them: · I’m sure if you talk to him, he’ll understand.· It’s important to try and understand teenagers.
to feel sad for someone because they are in a very difficult situation: · The man paled when they found him guilty, and I pitied him.· I pity anyone who has to feed a family on such a low income.
Longman Language Activatorto feel sorry because someone else is in a bad situation to feel sad for someone because they have had bad luck or they are in a bad situation: · I think he felt sorry for me because I'd just lost my wallet.· He'll probably go to jail for this. It's his wife I feel sorry for.· I feel sorry for the poor person who's going to have to sort this mess out.· I feel really sorry for young married couples these days. It's hard going for them.can't help feeling sorry for somebody (=use this when you should not really feel sorry for someone, but you do): · I know he's being a jerk, but I can't help feeling a little sorry for him.
also sympathise British to feel sad for someone who is having problems, because you understand how they feel: · My dear, I completely understand and sympathize, but there's not much I can do about it, really.sympathize with: · She felt Mark should have sympathised with her and supported her, instead of criticizing. sympathize with somebody's plight/problems/dilemma: · It's hard not to sympathize with the plight of single parents in today's world.
to feel sad for someone who is having problems, because you understand how they feel: · I have great sympathy for anyone who has lived through depression.· It wasn't possible not to feel sympathy for Anna -- she'd lost her husband and her son in the space of only a few weeks.have/feel deep sympathy for: · The judge said he had the deepest sympathy for Maria's situation, but that he had no option but to sentence her.
to sympathize very strongly and sincerely with someone who has problems, is suffering etc: · Of course I feel for him - he's my brother. But he did bring it on himself.· You couldn't help but feel for Charles. He'd been so unlucky in life.
to feel very sorry for someone who is in a much worse situation than you: · I pity anyone who has to feed a family on such a low income.· I don't want you to pity me - I just want you to help me.· He felt pity for Marla out there all by herself in some little nowhere town.
spoken use this to say that you feel extremely sorry for someone, especially because something very sad has happened to them: · I know how awfully disappointed you must be, and my heart goes out to you.· My heart went out to all those poor little children standing shivering in the cold.
to feel sorry for someone and do something to help them: · The old couple, poor as they were, took pity on her and gave her food.· We walked on through the pouring rain until a kind driver took pity on us and offered us a ride.
to realize that someone is unhappy or having problems, and behave kindly to them: · I'm sure if you talk to your boss, he'll understand.· You can only apologize, and hope that she'll understand.understand why/what/how: · I completely understand how things are when money is tight.· We're trying very hard to understand what she's going through.
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES It’s a great pity that none of his poems survive. She stood feeling lost until an elderly man took pity on her.
It’s a great pity that none of his poems survive. She stood feeling lost until an elderly man took pity on her.PHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES► a gush of relief/self-pity etc
to feel sorry for someone because they are in a very bad situation: - A spendthrift with a regular, secure income is an object of desire among bankers.
- Because of this, a household obliged to sponsor many feasts gains no prestige, but becomes rather an object of pity.
- He left Downing Street in 1963 almost an object of ridicule, condemned in Gibbonian terms as the symbol of national decay.
- Mitch's image alone does not make clear that he will be mocked rather than taken seriously as an object of desire.
- She became an object of ridicule.
- Unfortunately Piggy had been demoted to an object of ridicule by this point in the book so nobody listened to him.
- Yet he is held up as an object of ridicule and loathing throughout the land.
- Ego takes great pleasure in wallowing in self-pity, and defending itself against all charges, whatever the cost to others.
- Look at the criticism for any opportunity to learn from it and to change, without wallowing in self-pity.
- What hope can they have, if they see you slumping about like a filleted herring, wallowing in self-pity?
I pity anyone who has to feed a family on such a low income. Sam pitied his grandmother there alone, never going out. Pity the poor teachers who have to deal with these kids.RegisterIn everyday English, people usually say that they feel sorry for someone rather than pity them:· I feel sorry for his wife.