PITEOUS

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does piteous mean? 

• PITEOUS (adjective)
  The adjective PITEOUS has 1 sense:

1. deserving or inciting pity

  Familiarity information: PITEOUS used as an adjective is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• PITEOUS (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Deserving or inciting pity

Synonyms:

hapless; miserable; misfortunate; pathetic; piteous; pitiable; pitiful; poor; wretched

Context example:

a wretched life

Similar:

unfortunate (not favored by fortune; marked or accompanied by or resulting in ill fortune)

Derivation:

pity (an unfortunate development)

pity (a feeling of sympathy and sorrow for the misfortunes of others)

 Context examples 

She brought some piteous tale, no doubt, such as a gallant young man could hardly refuse to listen to.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

“Because I KNOW you're going to scold me,” exclaimed Dora, in a piteous voice.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

Immediately they heard a loud, piteous cry.

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)

Because an illustrious client has placed her piteous case in my hands.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Are none to be gentle and kind, none to be piteous and forgiving?

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Henceforth no effort of mine, no piteous cry or agonised entreaty, would make them even look at me.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

Then, when the row broke out, I had a little moist red paint in the palm of my hand. I rushed forward, fell down, clapped my hand to my face, and became a piteous spectacle. It is an old trick.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

It was a piteous sight, the once rosy face so changed and vacant, the once busy hands so weak and wasted, the once smiling lips quite dumb, and the once pretty, well-kept hair scattered rough and tangled on the pillow.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

Meanwhile the miser crept out of the bush half-naked and in a piteous plight, and began to ponder how he should take his revenge, and serve his late companion some trick.

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)

Something made me start up, a low, piteous howling of dogs somewhere far below in the valley, which was hidden from my sight.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)