from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Piteous \Pit"e*ous\, a. [OE. pitous, OF. pitos, F. piteux. See
{Pity}.]
1. Pious; devout. [Obs.]
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The Lord can deliver piteous men from temptation.
--Wyclif.
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2. Evincing pity, compassion, or sympathy; compassionate;
tender. "[She] piteous of his case." --Pope.
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She was so charitable and so pitous. --Chaucer.
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3. Fitted to excite pity or sympathy; wretched; miserable;
lamentable; sad; as, a piteous case. --Spenser.
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The most piteous tale of Lear. --Shak.
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4. Paltry; mean; pitiful. "Piteous amends." --Milton.
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Syn: Sorrowful; mournful; affecting; doleful; woeful; rueful;
sad; wretched; miserable; pitiable; pitiful;
compassionate.
[1913 Webster] -- {Pit"e*ous*ly}, adv. --
{Pit"e*ous*ness}, n.
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