compassionate

A pseudo-Latin form of French compassionné, past participle of compassionner (“feel sorry for”).

• (UK, adjective) IPA^(key): /kəmˈpæʃənət/

• Audio (Southern England):

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• Audio (US):

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• (UK, verb) IPA^(key): /kəmˈpæʃəneɪt/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

compassionate (comparative more compassionate, superlative most compassionate)

1. Having, feeling or showing compassion (to or toward someone).

   Synonyms: empathetic, sympathetic, ruthful

   The Compassionate, the All-Compassionate

   (names given to God in Islam)

   • 1611, John Donne, An Anatomy of the World‎^[1], London: Samuel Macham:

     As a compassionate Turcoyse which doth tell
     By looking pale, the wearer is not well,

   • 1675, Robert South, A Sermon preached at Christ-Church, in Twelve Sermons Preached upon Several Occasions, London: Thomas Bennett, 1692, p. 574,^[2]

     […] there never was any heart truly great and generous, that was not also tender, and compassionate.

   • 1849 May – 1850 November, Charles Dickens, chapter 49, in The Personal History of David Copperfield, London: Bradbury & Evans, […], published 1850, →OCLC, page 502:

     He was by nature so exceedingly compassionate of anyone who seemed to be ill at ease […] that he shook hands with Mr. Micawber, at least half-a-dozen times in five minutes.

   • 2007, Mohsin Hamid, chapter 7, in The Reluctant Fundamentalist‎^[3], Orlando: Harcourt, page 99:

     […] the compassionate pangs I felt for soon-to-be redundant workers were not overwhelming in their frequency; our job required a degree of commitment that left one with rather limited time for such distractions.

2. Given to someone as an exception because of a family emergency or a death in their family.

   compassionate leave; a compassionate visa

3. (obsolete) Inviting or asking for pity.

   Synonym: pitiable

   • 1595 December 9 (first known performance), William Shakespeare, “The life and death of King Richard the Second”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene 3]:

     It boots thee not to be compassionate:
     After our sentence plaining comes too late.

compassionate (third-person singular simple present compassionates, present participle compassionating, simple past and past participle compassionated)

1. (transitive, archaic) To feel compassion (for someone or with regard to something); to regard (someone or something) with compassion.

   Synonyms: pity, feel sorry for

   • 1602, G. Bishop et al., chapter 6, in Thomas Lodge, transl., The Famous and Memorable Workes of Josephus‎^[4], London, page 733:

     […] seeing them die so wofully in the flames, he compassionated them.

   • 1749, Henry Fielding, chapter 6, in The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, volume (please specify |volume=I to VI), London: A[ndrew] Millar, […], →OCLC, book 2, page 83:

     The Justice which Mr. Allworthy had executed on Partridge, at first met with universal Approbation; but no sooner had he felt its Consequences, than his Neighbours began to relent, and to compassionate his Case;

   • 1794, William Godwin, chapter 1, in Things as They Are; or, The Adventures of Caleb Williams‎^[5], volume 2, London: B. Crosby, page 4:

     And yet I could not help bitterly compassionating the honest fellow, brought to the gallows, as he was, strictly speaking, by the machinations of that devil incarnate, Mr. Tyrrel.

   • 1847 October 16, Currer Bell [pseudonym; Charlotte Brontë], chapter III, in Jane Eyre. An Autobiography. […], volume I, London: Smith, Elder, and Co., […], →OCLC, page 38:

     “ […] if she were a nice, pretty child, one might compassionate her forlornness; but one really cannot care for such a little toad as that.”

   • 1848 November – 1850 December, William Makepeace Thackeray, chapter 16, in The History of Pendennis. […], volume (please specify |volume=I or II), London: Bradbury and Evans, […], published 1849–1850, →OCLC:

     Helen laughed at these sentimental remarks, and wondered that Madame herself did not compassionate her lodger, and console him

   • 1855, Frederick Douglass, chapter 17, in My Bondage and My Freedom. […], New York, Auburn, N.Y.: Miller, Orton & Mulligan […], →OCLC, part I (Life as a Slave), page 236:

     I explained the circumstances of the past two days, which had driven me to the woods, and he deeply compassionated my distress.

compassionate

1. inflection of compassionare:
   1. second-person plural present indicative
   2. second-person plural imperative

compassionate f pl

1. feminine plural of compassionato