Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Sympathy \Sym"pa*thy\, n.; pl. {Sympathies}. [F. sympathie, L.
   sympathia, Gr. ?; sy`n with + ? suffering, passion, fr. ?, ?,
   to suffer. See {Syn-}, and {Pathos}.]
   1. Feeling corresponding to that which another feels; the
      quality of being affected by the affection of another,
      with feelings correspondent in kind, if not in degree;
      fellow-feeling.

            They saw, but other sight instead -- a crowd Of ugly
            serpents! Horror on them fell, And horrid sympathy.
                                                  --Milton.

   2. An agreement of affections or inclinations, or a
      conformity of natural temperament, which causes persons to
      be pleased, or in accord, with one another; as, there is
      perfect sympathy between them.

   3. Kindness of feeling toward one who suffers; pity;
      commiseration; compassion.

            I value myself upon sympathy, I hate and despise
            myself for envy.                      --Kames.

   4. (Physiol.)
      (a) The reciprocal influence exercised by the various
          organs or parts of the body on one another, as
          manifested in the transmission of a disease by unknown
          means from one organ to another quite remote, or in
          the influence exerted by a diseased condition of one
          part on another part or organ, as in the vomiting
          produced by a tumor of the brain.
      (b) That relation which exists between different persons
          by which one of them produces in the others a state or
          condition like that of himself. This is shown in the
          tendency to yawn which a person often feels on seeing
          another yawn, or the strong inclination to become
          hysteric experienced by many women on seeing another
          person suffering with hysteria.

   5. A tendency of inanimate things to unite, or to act on each
      other; as, the sympathy between the loadstone and iron.
      [R.]

   6. Similarity of function, use office, or the like.

            The adverb has most sympathy with the verb. --Earle.

   Syn: Pity; fellow-feeling; compassion; commiseration;
        tenderness; condolence; agreement.

   Usage: {Sympathy}, {Commiseration}. Sympathy is literally a
          fellow-feeling with others in their varied conditions
          of joy or of grief. This term, however, is now more
          commonly applied to a fellow-feeling with others under
          affliction, and then coincides very nearly with
          commiseration. In this case it is commonly followed by
          for; as, to feel sympathy for a friend when we see him
          distressed. The verb sympathize is followed by with;
          as, to sympathize with a friend in his distresses or
          enjoyments. ``Every man would be a distinct species to
          himself, were there no sympathy among individuals.''
          --South. See {Pity}.

                Fault, Acknowledged and deplored, in Adam
                wrought Commiseration.            --Milton.