Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Pity \Pit"y\, n.; pl. {Pities}. [OE. pite, OF. pit['e],
   piti['e], F. piti['e], L. pietas piety, kindness, pity. See
   {Pious}, and cf. {Piety}.]
   1. Piety. [Obs.] --Wyclif.

   2. A feeling for the sufferings 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.

   3. A reason or cause of pity, grief, or regret; a thing to be
      regretted. ``The more the pity.'' --Shak.

            What pity is it That we can die but once to serve
            our country!                          --Addison.

   Note: In this sense, sometimes used in the plural, especially
         in the colloquialism: ``It is a thousand pities.''

   Syn: Compassion; mercy; commiseration; condolence; sympathy,
        fellow-suffering; fellow-feeling. -- {Pity}, {Sympathy},
        {Compassion}. Sympathy is literally fellow-feeling, and
        therefore requiers a certain degree of equality in
        situation, circumstances, etc., to its fullest exercise.
        Compassion is deep tenderness for another under severe
        or inevitable misfortune. Pity regards its object not
        only as suffering, but weak, and hence as inferior.