Etymology

From Middle EnglishCategory:English terms inherited from Middle English#PITEOUSLYCategory:English terms derived from Middle English#PITEOUSLY piteuously, pitously; equivalent to piteous +‎ -lyCategory:English terms suffixed with -ly#PITEOUSLY.

Pronunciation

This entry needs pronunciation information. If you are familiar with the IPA or enPR then please add some!

Category:Requests for pronunciation in English entries#PITEOUSLY

• Audio (US):

  (file)

  Category:English terms with audio pronunciation#PITEOUSLY

Adverb

piteously (comparative more piteously, superlative most piteously)Category:English lemmas#PITEOUSLYCategory:English adverbs#PITEOUSLYCategory:English entries with incorrect language header#PITEOUSLYCategory:Pages with entries#PITEOUSLYCategory:Pages with 1 entry#PITEOUSLY

1. In a piteous manner; pathetically; plaintively.
   • 1843 December 19, Charles Dickens, “Stave I. Marley’s Ghost.”, in A Christmas Carol. In Prose. Being a Ghost Story of Christmas, London: Chapman & Hall, […], →OCLC, pages 36–37:

     He had been quite familiar with one old ghost, in a white waistcoat, with a monstrous iron safe attached to its ankle, who cried piteously at being unable to assist a wretched woman with an infant, whom it saw below, upon a door-step.

     Category:English terms with quotations#PITEOUSLY

   • 1859, Alfred Tennyson, “Enid”, in Idylls of the King, London: Edward Moxon & Co., […], →OCLC, page 5:

     Across her mind, and bowing over him,
     Low to her own heart piteously she said:

     Category:English terms with quotations#PITEOUSLY

   • 1929, Robert Dean Frisbee, The Book of Puka-Puka, Eland, published 2019, page 194:

     Little Sea and Desire would wail piteously over my body for a day, and then I should be quickly forgotten.

     Category:English terms with quotations#PITEOUSLY

   • 1956, Anthony Burgess, Time for a Tiger (The Malayan Trilogy), published 1972, page 132:

     Adam himself bewildered and Eveless outside the garden; a Minotaur howling piteously in a labyrinth of money-worries.

     Category:English terms with quotations#PITEOUSLY