I. pit ‧ y 1 S3 /ˈpɪti/ BrE AmE noun
[ Date: 1200-1300 ; Language: Old French ; Origin: pité , from Latin pietas 'piety, pity' , from pius ; ⇨ ↑ pious ]
1 . a 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)
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 unhappy ⇨ piteous , pitiable , pitiful , pitiless
pity 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.
3 . for 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!
4 . more’s the pity especially British English spoken used after describing a situation, to show that you wish it was not true:
Sue’s not coming, more’s the pity.
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COLLOCATIONS (for Meaning 2)
■ verbs
▪ feel 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.
■ phrases
▪ be 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.
II. pity 2 BrE AmE verb ( past tense and past participle pitied , present participle pitying , third person singular pities ) [transitive not usually in progressive]
to feel sorry for someone because they are in a very bad situation:
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.
REGISTER
In everyday English, people usually say that they feel sorry for someone rather than pity them:
▪
I feel sorry for his wife.
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THESAURUS
▪ sympathize ( also sympathise British English ) /ˈsɪmpəθaɪz/ to feel sad for someone because you understand their problems:
It must be awful for you – I do sympathize.
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He told me how difficult it was dealing with his parents, and I sympathized with him.
▪ feel sorry for somebody 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.
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It’s his wife I feel sorry for – on her own with four kids.
▪ understand 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.
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It’s important to try and understand teenagers.
▪ pity 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.
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I pity anyone who has to feed a family on such a low income.