2. Expressing sorrow. ``Rueful faces.'' --Dryden.
[1913 Webster]
Two rueful figures, with long black cloaks. --Sir W. Scott. [1913 Webster] -- {Rue"ful*ly}, adv. -- {Rue"ful*ness}, n. [1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.
rueful — index contrite, despondent, lamentable, penitent, remorseful, repentant Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 … Law dictionary
rueful — early 13c., rewfulle, reowfule, from RUE (Cf. rue) (v.) + FUL (Cf. ful) … Etymology dictionary
rueful — dolorous, doleful, lugubrious, plaintive, *melancholy Analogous words: depressed, weighed down, oppressed (see DEPRESS): piteous, *pitiful: despairing, *despondent, hopeless … New Dictionary of Synonyms
rueful — [adj] regretful apologetic, ashamed, deplorable, lamentable, mournful, remorseful, repentant, sad, sorrowful, sorry; concept 403 … New thesaurus
rueful — ► ADJECTIVE ▪ expressing regret, especially in a wry or humorous way. DERIVATIVES ruefully adverb ruefulness noun … English terms dictionary
rueful — [ro͞o′fəl] adj. 1. causing sorrow or pity; lamentable 2. a) feeling or showing sorrow or pity; mournful b) feeling or showing regret, esp. in an abashed way ruefully adv. ruefulness n … English World dictionary
rueful — [[t]ru͟ːfʊl[/t]] ADJ GRADED If someone is rueful, they feel or express regret or sorrow in a quiet and gentle way. [LITERARY] He shook his head and gave me a rueful smile... Our marriage was a mistake, she said, looking rueful. Derived words:… … English dictionary
rueful — adjective Date: 13th century 1. exciting pity or sympathy ; pitiable < rueful squalid poverty…by every wayside John Morley > 2. mournful, regretful < troubled her with a rueful disquiet W. M. Thackeray > • ruefully adverb • ruefulness … New Collegiate Dictionary
rueful — ruefully, adv. ruefulness, n. /rooh feuhl/, adj. 1. causing sorrow or pity; pitiable; deplorable: a rueful plight. 2. feeling, showing, or expressing sorrow or pity; mournful; doleful: the rueful look on her face. [1175 1225; ME reowful. See RUE1 … Universalium
rueful — adj. Rueful is used with these nouns: ↑grin, ↑laugh, ↑smile … Collocations dictionary
