rueful en · ADJ
Pronunciation
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Germanic *hrewwaną Proto-West Germanic *hreuwan Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Germanic *-ō Proto-West Germanic *-u Proto-West Germanic *hreuwu Old English hrēow Middle English rewe Proto-Indo-European *pleh₁- Proto-Indo-European *-nós Proto-Indo-European *pl̥h₁nós Proto-Germanic *fullaz Proto-Germanic *-fullaz Old English -ful Middle English -ful Middle English reuful English rueful From Middle English ruful, rewful. By surface analysis, rue + -ful.
Meanings
-
Causing, feeling, or expressing regret or sorrow, especially in a wry or humorous way.
"I like the young, andro look, but I've dated across the board—butches, femmes, trannies—and that really bothers Clara. All her girlfriends in the past have been pretty much straight." Kim offers a rueful little laugh.
2004, New York:Merely, he received it with the rueful indulgence that he would show towards Tom when he came through with one of his solutions for ending world poverty or the arms race.
1986, John le Carré, A Perfect Spy:
- Inspiring pity or compassion.
-
Bad; woeful; deplorable.
The first who made the experiment was a merry-andrew, who was put into my hands by a neighbouring justice of peace, in order to reclaim him from that profligate kind of life. Poor Pickle-herring had not taken above one turn in it, when he came out of the cave, like a hermit from his cell, with a penitential look and a most rueful countenance.
1714 September 24 (Gregorian calendar), [Joseph Addison], “MONDAY, September 14, 1714”, in The Spectator, number 599; republished in Alexander Chalmers, editor, The Spectator; a New Edition, […], volume VI, New York, N.Y.: D[aniel] Appleton & Company, 1853, →OCLC:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| ruefull | alternative, obsolete | lexicographic | |
| most rueful | Degree=Sup | lexicographic | |
| more rueful | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic |
Deriveds
unrueful · ruefully · ruefulness
Relateds
Synonyms
upsetting · negative · rueful · hellish · naff · heartrending · regretful · terrible · compassionate · saddening · rueful · fifth-rate · poor · pathetic · sloppy · pathetic · pitisome · pathetisad · heartbreaking · shitawful · atrabiliary · chronic · miserable · dire · rotten · sad · hideous · miserable · disagreeable · lachrymable · shitty · crappy · inadequate · lousy · horrible · godawful · woeful · piss-poor · intolerable · deplorable · unfavorable · pitiful · bad · fourth-rate · grievous · pitiful · dismal · sixth-rate · hopeless · atrabilious · awful · pitiable · regrettable · ruthful · horrific · piteous · foul · atrocious · lackluster · crap · deplorable · inelegant · deityforsaken · subpar · horrendous · wack · sorry · inferior · rubbish · peak · sorrowful · depressing · unfavorable · crummy · abysmal · corny · unhappy · pitiful · pathetic · coarse · repining · crapalicious · distressing · dreadful · tragic · rueful · pitiable · dogshit · incompetent · snivelly · negative · pitisome · ordinary · sorry-ass · mournful · sad · lamentable · sorry · woebegone · odious · horrid · loathsome
Translations (25)
ru несча́стный (inspiring pity or compassion) · mi whakaaroha (inspiring pity or compassion) · ka საწყალი (inspiring pity or compassion) · nl meelijwekkend (inspiring pity or compassion) · fi katuva (causing, feeling, or expressing regret or sorrow) · ru печа́льный (causing, feeling, or expressing regret or sorrow) · fi surkea (inspiring pity or compassion) · bg печален (causing, feeling, or expressing regret or sorrow) · pt recalcado (causing, feeling, or expressing regret or sorrow) · bg плачевен (causing, feeling, or expressing regret or sorrow) · mi kōhau (causing, feeling, or expressing regret or sorrow) · ru гру́стный (causing, feeling, or expressing regret or sorrow) · mi ngetengete (causing, feeling, or expressing regret or sorrow) · de reumütig (causing, feeling, or expressing regret or sorrow) · fi säälittävä (inspiring pity or compassion) · de reuig (causing, feeling, or expressing regret or sorrow) · ru жа́лкий (inspiring pity or compassion) · de kläglich (inspiring pity or compassion) · fi katuvainen (causing, feeling, or expressing regret or sorrow) · ka საცოდავი (inspiring pity or compassion) · ru уны́лый (causing, feeling, or expressing regret or sorrow) · es sentir lastima o compasion (inspiring pity or compassion) · mi āwhitu (causing, feeling, or expressing regret or sorrow) · pdt leet (nds) (causing, feeling, or expressing regret or sorrow) · fi kaduttava (causing, feeling, or expressing regret or sorrow)