- pity
- pit|y1 [ `pıti ] noun uncount1. ) a strong feeling of sympathy that you have for someone because they are very unhappy or in a bad situation:She looked at him with a mixture of pity and disgust.There was pity in her voice.feel pity for someone: She felt pity for all the children living in such terrible conditions.an object of pity (=someone who people feel only sympathy for): In the past poor people were seen as objects of pity.2. ) FORMAL an attitude in which you are sympathetic toward someone and forgive them:show (no) pity: The judge showed no pity in her treatment of the offender.for pity's sake SPOKENused for showing you are annoyed with someone:For pity's sake, Jack, stop moaning.(it's a) pityused for saying that you are disappointed about something:it's a pity (that): It's a pity we couldn't stay longer in Boston.it's a pity to do something: It's a pity to waste this food. Can you eat it?for pity's sake about: It was a lovely wedding. Pity about the rain.it seems a pity: It seems such a pity to be indoors in lovely weather like this.a great pity: It was a great pity we couldn't visit the Louvre.what a pity (=that is a pity): I couldn't get any tickets for the game. Oh, what a pity!more's the pity SPOKENused when you are disappointed that something is truetake pity on someoneto feel sorry for someone and try to help them:Dirk took pity on me and let me stay at his house.pit|y2 [ `pıti ] verb transitive not usually progressiveto feel sorry for someone because they are in a bad situation:I pity the poor person who has to clean this mess up.She pitied him living in such a horrible place.
Usage of the words and phrases in modern English. 2013.