Sympathies

1 definition found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Sympathy \Sym"pa*thy\, n.; pl. {Sympathies}. [F. sympathie, L.
     sympathia, Gr. ?; sy`n with + ? suffering, passion, fr. ?, ?,
     to suffer. See {Syn-}, and {Pathos}.]
     1. Feeling corresponding to that which another feels; the
        quality of being affected by the affection of another,
        with feelings correspondent in kind, if not in degree;


        fellow-feeling.
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              They saw, but other sight instead -- a crowd
              Of ugly serpents! Horror on them fell,
              And horrid sympathy.                  --Milton.
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     2. An agreement of affections or inclinations, or a
        conformity of natural temperament, which causes persons to
        be pleased, or in accord, with one another; as, there is
        perfect sympathy between them.
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     3. Kindness of feeling toward one who suffers; pity;
        commiseration; compassion.
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              I value myself upon sympathy, I hate and despise
              myself for envy.                      --Kames.
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     4. (Physiol. & Med.)
        (a) The reciprocal influence exercised by organs or parts
            on one another, as shown in the effects of a diseased
            condition of one part on another part or organ, as in
            the vomiting produced by a tumor of the brain.
        (b) The influence of a certain psychological state in one
            person in producing a like state in another.
  
     Note: In the original 1890 work, sense (b) was described as:
           "That relation which exists between different persons
           by which one of them produces in the others a state or
           condition like that of himself. This is shown in the
           tendency to yawn which a person often feels on seeing
           another yawn, or the strong inclination to become
           hysteric experienced by many women on seeing another
           person suffering with hysteria."
           [Webster 1913 Suppl. +PJC]
  
     5. A tendency of inanimate things to unite, or to act on each
        other; as, the sympathy between the loadstone and iron.
        [R.]
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     6. Similarity of function, use office, or the like.
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              The adverb has most sympathy with the verb. --Earle.
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     Syn: Pity; fellow-feeling; compassion; commiseration;
          tenderness; condolence; agreement.
  
     Usage: {Sympathy}, {Commiseration}. Sympathy is literally a
            fellow-feeling with others in their varied conditions
            of joy or of grief. This term, however, is now more
            commonly applied to a fellow-feeling with others under
            affliction, and then coincides very nearly with
            commiseration. In this case it is commonly followed by
            for; as, to feel sympathy for a friend when we see him
            distressed. The verb sympathize is followed by with;
            as, to sympathize with a friend in his distresses or
            enjoyments. "Every man would be a distinct species to
            himself, were there no sympathy among individuals."
            --South. See {Pity}.
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                  Fault,
                  Acknowledged and deplored, in Adam wrought
                  Commiseration.                    --Milton.
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