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ruth

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
See also: Ruth

English

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Etymology

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From Middle English reuþe, ruthe, reuthe, rewthe, reowthe, corresponding to rue ‎ -th, perhaps after early Scandinavian (compare Old Norse hrygð, hryggð (“ruth, sorrow”)).

Pronunciation

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Noun

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ruth (countable and uncountable, plural ruths)

  1. (archaic) Sorrow for the misery of another; pity, compassion; mercy. [from 13th c.]
  2. (now rare) Repentance; regret; remorse. [from 13th c.]
    Synonyms: contrition; see also Thesaurus:remorse
    • 1896, A. E. Housman, A Shropshire Lad, XLIV, 2005, The Works of A. E. Housman [1994, The Collected Poems of A. E. Housman], page 61,
      Now to your grave shall friend and stranger
      With ruth and some with envy come […].
    • ~1937, J. R. R. Tolkien, The Fall of Arthur
      He mourned too late
      In ruth for the rending of the Round Table.
  3. (obsolete) Sorrow; misery; distress. [13th–19th c.][1]
    Synonyms: dejection, unhappiness; see also Thesaurus:sadness
  4. (obsolete) Something which causes regret or sorrow; a pitiful sight. [13th–17th c.]
    Synonyms: hardship, sorrow; see also Thesaurus:woe

Derived terms

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Translations

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References

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  1. ^ Dictionary of the Edinburgh

Anagrams

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