■ verb ( ~s , ~ting , ~ted ) feel or express sorrow, repentance, or disappointment over.
■ noun a feeling of sorrow, repentance, or disappointment.
↘used in polite formulas to express apology or sadness.
Origin
ME: from OFr. ~er 'bewail the dead', perh. from the Gmc base of greet 2 .