The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 (gcide)
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.
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They saw, but other sight instead -- a crowd
Of ugly serpents! Horror on them fell,
And horrid sympathy. --Milton.
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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.
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3. Kindness of feeling toward one who suffers; pity;
commiseration; compassion.
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I value myself upon sympathy, I hate and despise
myself for envy. --Kames.
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4. (Physiol. & Med.)
(a) The reciprocal influence exercised by organs or parts
on one another, as shown in the effects of a diseased
condition of one part on another part or organ, as in
the vomiting produced by a tumor of the brain.
(b) The influence of a certain psychological state in one
person in producing a like state in another.
Note: In the original 1890 work, sense (b) was described as:
"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."
[Webster 1913 Suppl. +PJC]
5. A tendency of inanimate things to unite, or to act on each
other; as, the sympathy between the loadstone and iron.
[R.]
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6. Similarity of function, use office, or the like.
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The adverb has most sympathy with the verb. --Earle.
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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.
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Fault,
Acknowledged and deplored, in Adam wrought
Commiseration. --Milton.
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WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) (wn)
sympathy
n 1: an inclination to support or be loyal to or to agree with
an opinion; "his sympathies were always with the underdog";
"I knew I could count on his understanding" [syn:
sympathy, understanding]
2: sharing the feelings of others (especially feelings of sorrow
or anguish) [syn: sympathy, fellow feeling]
3: a relation of affinity or harmony between people; whatever
affects one correspondingly affects the other; "the two of
them were in close sympathy"
