pity

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.

noun

1. (uncountable) A feeling of sympathy at the misfortune or suffering of someone or something.
   I can't feel any pity towards the gang, who got injured while attempting to break into a flat.
   take pity on someone
   The most usuall way to appease those minds we have offended […] is, by submission to move them to commiseration and pitty. , Folio Society, 2006, p.5
   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. 2012, BioWare, Mass Effect 3 (Science Fiction), Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →OCLC, PC, scene: Prologue: Earth
2. (countable) Something regrettable.
   It's a pity you're feeling unwell because there's a party on tonight.
   What a pity about the band breaking up. I loved them!
   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. 1941 September, O. S. Nock, “The Locomotives of Sir Nigel Gresley: Part V”, in Railway Magazine, page 395
3. (obsolete, Early Modern) Piety.
   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, […] 1558, Thomas Watson, Holsome and Catholyke doctryne concerninge the seuen Sacramentes of Chrystes Church,[…], folio 105ᵛ
   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. 1573, James Sanforde, transl., The Garden of Pleasure[…], folio 58ᵛ
   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. 19 July 1579, John Dyos, A Sermon preached at Paules Crosse the 19. of Iuli 1579[…], published 1579, folios 48ᵛ–49ʳ

verb

1. (transitive) To feel pity for (someone or something).
   You have got to pity the guy - he lost his wife, mother and job in the same month.
   Nor could she get round them on a single point, and I pitied her so much that I bought bread and wine off her to console her, and I let her overcharge me, and went out into the afterglow with her benediction, followed also by the farewells of the middle-class, who were now taking their coffee at little tables outside the house. 1902, Hilaire Belloc, The Path to Rome
2. (transitive, now regional) To make (someone) feel pity; to provoke the sympathy or compassion of.
   It pitieth them to see her in the dust. a. 1681, Richard Allestree, Of Gods Method in giving Deliverance

intj

1. Ellipsis of what a pity.