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COMPASSION
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I. (noun)
Sense 1
Meaning:
The humane quality of understanding the suffering of others and wanting to do something about it
Synonyms:
compassion; pity
Classified under:
Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects
Hypernyms ("compassion" is a kind of...):
mercifulness; mercy (a disposition to be kind and forgiving)
Derivation:
compassionate (share the suffering of)
compassionate (showing or having compassion)
Sense 2
Meaning:
A deep awareness of and sympathy for another's suffering
Synonyms:
compassion; compassionateness
Classified under:
Nouns denoting feelings and emotions
Hypernyms ("compassion" is a kind of...):
fellow feeling; sympathy (sharing the feelings of others (especially feelings of sorrow or anguish))
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "compassion"):
heartstrings (your deepest feelings of love and compassion)
mellowness (a feeling of good humor and sympathy through maturity or intoxication or a relaxed state)
tenderheartedness; tenderness (warm compassionate feelings)
mercifulness; mercy (the feeling that motivates compassion)
Derivation:
compassionate (share the suffering of)
Context examples:
Could they turn from their door one, however monstrous, who solicited their compassion and friendship?
(Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley)
And looking at them with compassion, not contempt, girls in their bloom should remember that they too may miss the blossom time.
(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)
When the wild man had once more reached the dark forest, he took the boy down from his shoulder, and said to him: You will never see your father and mother again, but I will keep you with me, for you have set me free, and I have compassion on you.
(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)
Mr. Brocklehurst, who, from his wealth and family connections, could not be overlooked, still retained the post of treasurer; but he was aided in the discharge of his duties by gentlemen of rather more enlarged and sympathising minds: his office of inspector, too, was shared by those who knew how to combine reason with strictness, comfort with economy, compassion with uprightness.
(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)
Well, (smiling,) I hope it may be allowed that if compassion has produced exertion and relief to the sufferers, it has done all that is truly important.
(Emma, by Jane Austen)
He is totally beyond the reach of any sentiment of justice or compassion.
(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)
On Mrs. Jennings's compassion she had other claims.
(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)
“But Jip,” said Dora, looking at him with compassion, “even little Jip! Oh, poor fellow!”
(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)
Let Sir Thomas trust to his honour and compassion, and it may all end well; but if he get his daughter away, it will be destroying the chief hold.'
(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)
"Why, you haven't anything to eat, you poor dear," she said with tender compassion.
(Martin Eden, by Jack London)
