Emily Dickinson Lexicon

pity, n. [ME < OFr < L. pietās, dutifulness, piety.] (webplay: children, fear, painful, poor).

1. Empathy; sensitivity to another's affliction; perception of suffering; awareness of pain; desire to relieve another's misery. (496/364, 588/394)
2. Condescending compassion; patronizing sympathy. (229/289, 496/364)
3. Unfortunate circumstance; regrettable fact; lamentable but unchangeable problem.
4. [Fig.] mourning; grief; sorrow; tears of those bereaved.