pity
pity — noun
1. a situation that makes you feel a small, regretful disappointment — used to comm
a situation that makes you feel a small, regretful disappointment — used to comment that something didn't work out the way you hoped, often in the fixed phrases 'what a pity' or 'a pity that…'.
What a pity that the museum closes early on Sundays.
what a pity that + clause (regret about a fact)
It's a pity you can't come to Lina's wedding next month.
it's a pity (that) + clause
It would be a pity to throw away these old letters from your grandmother.
The cake tasted lovely, but such a pity it was burnt on the bottom.
Marcus missed the train by two minutes — a real pity, since the next one wasn't for an hour.
- shame
almost identical in this use ('what a shame'); slightly more informal
- misfortune
more formal, suggests bigger bad luck rather than mild regret
- blessing
a fortunate situation, the opposite kind of comment
文法句型
a pity (that)…
a pity to do something
what a pity
such a pity
用法筆記
Always preceded by 'a' (singular) and used in light, everyday regret — not for serious sorrow. Very common in British English speech as a mild expression of sympathy or disappointment. Distinguish from sense 2: this sense labels a SITUATION as regrettable, while sense 2 names a feeling you have toward a PERSON.
常見錯誤
2. the gentle, sad emotion you feel when you see that another person is suffering,
the gentle, sad emotion you feel when you see that another person is suffering, struggling, or going through something painful, and you wish their situation were better.
Maya felt a wave of pity for the stray dog shivering outside the supermarket.
pity for + noun (target of the feeling)
Nurse Patel looked at the small boy in the burn ward with pity in her eyes.
with pity in [body part] (visible feeling)
Carlos felt no pity for the thief who broke his car window.
Judge Walker stared at the young thief without pity and gave him five years in prison.
I don't want your pity — I just need a little help moving these boxes.
- sympathy
warmer and more respectful; doesn't carry the slight superiority that 'pity' can imply
- compassion
stronger, more active feeling that usually moves you to help
- sorrow
deeper sadness, often for a death or major loss rather than ongoing hardship
- indifference
complete lack of feeling either way
- cruelty
active wish to cause suffering, the opposite reaction
文法句型
pity for somebody
feel pity
用法筆記
Often carries a slight edge of looking down on the suffering person — many people prefer to receive 'sympathy' or 'understanding' rather than 'pity'. Distinguish from sense 3 (compassion that drives action): this sense names the felt emotion itself, not the helping behaviour it leads to.
常見錯誤
3. the kind, soft feeling for someone in trouble that actually pushes you to help t
the kind, soft feeling for someone in trouble that actually pushes you to help them or to treat them more gently than you otherwise would — for example, giving a tired stranger a place to sleep, or letting off a child who has misbehaved.
The farmer took pity on the lost hikers and drove them back to the village.
take pity on + person (act on the feeling)
Have pity on poor Marcus — he has been carrying these heavy boxes up the stairs for an hour.
have pity on + person (formal appeal)
Out of pity, the old baker gave the hungry boy a loaf of bread.
Queen Mira took pity on the starving villagers and ordered the palace gates opened.
Aiko was so full of pity for the shivering beggar that she emptied her purse into his hands.
- mercy
stronger; usually used when someone has power to punish but chooses not to
- compassion
warmer and more respectful; broader than pity, can apply to groups or situations
- clemency
formal/legal; mercy shown by an authority in punishment
- ruthlessness
willingness to act without any softening kindness
文法句型
take pity on somebody
have pity on somebody
用法筆記
Often appears in fixed expressions 'take pity on' and 'have pity on'. Subject is usually a person who has the power to help or punish. Distinguish from sense 2: sense 3 emphasises the resulting kind action, while sense 2 stops at the feeling.
常見錯誤
pity — verb
1. to feel sad and a bit sorry for someone because their life or situation seems un
to feel sad and a bit sorry for someone because their life or situation seems unhappy or hard, often while quietly being glad you are not in their position.
I pity any teacher who has to keep thirty seven-year-olds quiet on a rainy afternoon.
pity + noun phrase (object of sympathy)
Don't pity Marcus — he chose to live alone on the mountain and he loves it.
negative imperative: don't pity
Lina pitied the new puppy that whined every night for its mother.
Aunt Rosa pitied her sister for marrying such a selfish man.
The villagers pitied the old widow who lived alone in the broken cottage.
- feel sorry for
the everyday, neutral way to say this; far more common in speech
- sympathise with
shows shared feeling without the slight downward look that 'pity' can carry
- commiserate with
formal; usually refers to expressing sympathy aloud, not just feeling it
- envy
to wish you had what they have, the opposite reaction
文法句型
pity somebody
用法筆記
Sounds rather formal or literary in modern English; in everyday speech most people say 'feel sorry for' instead. Object must be a person or animal — you cannot 'pity' a thing or an event. Often carries a quiet sense of the speaker being above or apart from the pitied person.