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Compassion; pity; mercy. [Obs.]

To arouse the feelings or passions of; especially, to excite to tenderness or compassion; to touch pathetically; to excite, as an emotion. Shak. When he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them. Matt. ix. 36. [The use of images] in orations and poetry is to move pity or terror. Felton.…

ction of persons; a crowd; an assembly. But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them. Matt. ix. 36.

Toward; for; -- indicating the object of some passion; as, have pity or compassion on him.

Evincing pity, compassion, or sympathy; compassionate; tender. "[She] piteous of his case." Pope. She was so charitable and so pitous. Chaucer.

Deserving pity; wworthy of, or exciting, compassion; miserable; lamentable; piteous; as, pitiable persons; a pitiable condition; pitiable wretchedness.

Full of pity; tender-hearted; compassionate; kind; merciful; sympathetic. The Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy. James v. 11.

ferings or distresses of another or others; sympathy with the grief or misery of another; compassion; fellow- feeling; commiseration. He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord. Prov. xix. 17. He . . . has no more pity in him than a dog. Shak.

e or combination; clean; mere; simple; unmixed; as, pure water; pure clay; pure air; pure compassion. The pure fetters on his shins great. Chaucer. A guinea is pure gold if it has in it no alloy. I. Watts.

, harsh, cruel, or the like; to soften in temper; to become more mild and tender; to feel compassion. Can you . . . behold My sighs and tears, and will not once relent Shak.

Remorse; compunction; compassion. [Obs.] Killingbeck.

Sympathetic sorrow; pity; compassion. Curse on the unpardoning prince, whom tears can draw To no remorse. Dryden. But evermore it seem'd an easier thing At once without remorse to strike her dead. Tennyson.

Compassionate; feeling tenderly. [Obs.] Shak.

faction. [Obs.] Which makes the tragical ends of noble persons more favorably resented by compassionate readers. Sir T. Browne.

To have compassion. [Obs.] God so wisly [i. e., truly] on my soul rue. Chaucer. Which stirred men's hearts to rue upon them. Ridley.

That which causes pity or compassion; misery; distress; a pitiful. [Obs.] It had been hard this ruth for to see. Chaucer. With wretched miseries and woeful ruth. Spenser.

Kindness of feeling toward one who suffers; pity; commiseration; compassion. I value myself upon sympathy, I hate and despise myself for envy. Kames.

Susceptible of the softer passions, as love, compassion, kindness; compassionate; pitiful; anxious for another's good; easily excited to pity, forgiveness, or favor; sympathetic. The Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy. James v. 11. I am choleric by my nature, and tender by my temper. Fuller.

n; to turn good to evil, and the like. The Lord thy God will turn thy captivity, and have compassion upon thee. Deut. xxx. 3. And David said, O Lord, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness. 2 Sam. xv. 31. Impatience turns an ague into a fever. Jer. Taylor.

ular moral excellence; as, the virtue of temperance, of charity, etc. "The very virtue of compassion." Shak. "Remember all his virtues." Addison.