impiteous

English

Etymology

From im- + piteous.

Adjective

impiteous (comparative more impiteous, superlative most impiteous)

  1. (obsolete) Not showing pity or mercy.
    Synonyms: cruel, pitiless
    • 1547, Arthur Kelton, A Chronycle with a Genealogie Declaryng That the Brittons and Welshemen are Linealiye Dyscended from Brute, London: Richard Grafton:
      [] cruell Ualerian
      Uoide of all fauoure, most impiteous
      Of Emperoures all, none more vngracious
      Against Christes faithe,
    • c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies [] (First Folio), London: [] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene ii]:
      The Ocean (ouer-peering of his List)
      Eates not the Flats with more impittious haste
      Then young Laertes, in a Riotous head,
      Ore-beares your Officers,
    • 1878, Tommaso Campanella, “Sonnet XXIII. The Modern Cupid”, in John Addington Symonds, transl., The Sonnets of Michael Angelo Buonarroti and Tommaso Campanella, London: Smith, Elder, page 141:
      Through full three thousand years the world reveres
      Blind Love that bears the quiver and hath wings:
      Now too he’s deaf, and to the sufferings
      Of folk in anguish turns impiteous ears.
This article is issued from Wiktionary. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.