piteously, adv.
(ˈpɪtiːəslɪ)
Forms: see piteous.
[f. prec. + -ly2.]
† 1. With piety; piously, devoutly. Obs.
| c 1305 St. Edmund Conf. 248 in E.E.P. (1862) 77 So pitousliche he wolde rede: & so gode grace hadde þerto. 1382 Wyclif Ecclus. xliii. 37 To men pitously doende [1388 men doynge feithfuli] he ȝaf wisdam. 1382 ― Titus ii. 12 That we..lyue sobreli, and iustli, and piteuously. |
2. With pity; compassionately, mercifully, kindly. arch.
| c 1368 Chaucer Compl. Pite 18 (Tanner 346) Pitiously on her my eyn I caste. 1450–80 tr. Secreta Secret. 17 That he governe hem pitously and in loue. 1556 J. Heywood Spider & F. lxiii. 6 Three score piteouslie lookt, as they thant wold saue. 1855 Bailey Mystic, etc. 20 His poor and ignorant kin..He piteously remembered ere he passed. |
3. In a manner that excites pity to see or hear; so as to call for or deserve pity; lamentably, grievously, sadly; pitiably.
| c 1290 S. Eng. Leg. I. 170/2232 He..bad þe Monekus pitousliche þat heo for him bede. 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 9240 Wel pitosliche hii wende alle to þe kinge..& pitosliche bede, Þat he ssolde vor godes loue amendi suche dede. c 1374 Chaucer Anel. & Arc. 169 Sheo weopeþe, wayleþe, swooneþe pytously. 1375 Barbour Bruce iii. 549 Thai full pitwysly gan tell Auenturis that thaim befell. 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. xviii. 58 Quod crist & comsed forto swowe, Pitousliche and pale. c 1420 Chron. Vilod. ccclxxxiv, And askede of hym some gode full petwysly. 1508 Dunbar Lament for Makaris 49 [Death] has done petuously devour The noble Chaucer, of makaris flouir. 1526 Tindale Matt. xv. 22 My doughter is pytiously vexed with a devyll. c 1526 Frith Disput. Purgatory (1829) 160 They are piteously deceived, that will prove purgatory by the texts of the Old Testament. 1588 Shakes. Tit. A. v. i. 66. 1601 Holland Pliny II. 376 He murdered most piteously so many good citizens. 1848 Dickens Dombey v, Little Paul began to cry most piteously. 1882–3 Schaff's Encycl. Relig. Knowl. I. 193/2 His German poetry is piteously poor. |