"rueful" meaning in English

See rueful in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Adjective

Audio: LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-rueful.wav Forms: more rueful [comparative], most rueful [superlative]
Etymology: From Middle English ruful, rewful; equivalent to rue + -ful. Etymology templates: {{inh|en|enm|ruful}} Middle English ruful, {{suffix|en|rue|ful|pos=adjective}} rue + -ful Head templates: {{en-adj}} rueful (comparative more rueful, superlative most rueful)
  1. Causing, feeling, or expressing regret or sorrow, especially in a wry or humorous way. Categories (topical): Emotions Translations (causing, feeling, or expressing regret or sorrow): печален (pečalen) (Bulgarian), плачевен (plačeven) (Bulgarian), kaduttava (Finnish), katuva (Finnish), katuvainen (Finnish), reuig (German), reumütig (German), āwhitu (Maori), kōhau (Maori), ngetengete (Maori), leet (nds) (Plautdietsch), recalcado (Portuguese), гру́стный (grústnyj) (Russian), печа́льный (pečálʹnyj) (Russian), уны́лый (unýlyj) (Russian)
    Sense id: en-rueful-en-adj-lo2o1Q-S Disambiguation of Emotions: 72 1 27 Categories (other): English adjectives suffixed with -ful, English entries with incorrect language header, Entries with translation boxes, Pages with 1 entry, Pages with entries, Terms with Bulgarian translations, Terms with Dutch translations, Terms with Finnish translations, Terms with Georgian translations, Terms with German translations, Terms with Maori translations, Terms with Plautdietsch translations, Terms with Portuguese translations, Terms with Russian translations, Terms with Spanish translations Disambiguation of English adjectives suffixed with -ful: 59 26 15 Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 89 7 3 Disambiguation of Entries with translation boxes: 84 13 3 Disambiguation of Pages with 1 entry: 91 7 2 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 93 5 1 Disambiguation of Terms with Bulgarian translations: 72 11 17 Disambiguation of Terms with Dutch translations: 83 14 3 Disambiguation of Terms with Finnish translations: 72 11 17 Disambiguation of Terms with Georgian translations: 60 9 30 Disambiguation of Terms with German translations: 79 14 7 Disambiguation of Terms with Maori translations: 72 11 17 Disambiguation of Terms with Plautdietsch translations: 95 4 1 Disambiguation of Terms with Portuguese translations: 66 10 23 Disambiguation of Terms with Russian translations: 88 10 2 Disambiguation of Terms with Spanish translations: 90 9 1 Disambiguation of 'causing, feeling, or expressing regret or sorrow': 87 8 5
  2. Inspiring pity or compassion. Translations (inspiring pity or compassion): meelijwekkend (Dutch), surkea (Finnish), säälittävä (Finnish), საწყალი (sac̣q̇ali) (Georgian), საცოდავი (sacodavi) (Georgian), kläglich (German), whakaaroha (Maori), жа́лкий (žálkij) (Russian), несча́стный (nesčástnyj) (Russian), sentir lastima o compasion (Spanish)
    Sense id: en-rueful-en-adj-fMy7109W Disambiguation of 'inspiring pity or compassion': 5 95 0
  3. Bad; woeful; deplorable.
    Sense id: en-rueful-en-adj-uT7s2~4P
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Synonyms: ruefull [obsolete] Derived forms: ruefully, ruefulness Related terms: rue

Alternative forms

{
  "derived": [
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0",
      "word": "ruefully"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0",
      "word": "ruefulness"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "ruful"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English ruful",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "rue",
        "3": "ful",
        "pos": "adjective"
      },
      "expansion": "rue + -ful",
      "name": "suffix"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From Middle English ruful, rewful; equivalent to rue + -ful.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "more rueful",
      "tags": [
        "comparative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "most rueful",
      "tags": [
        "superlative"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "rueful (comparative more rueful, superlative most rueful)",
      "name": "en-adj"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "adj",
  "related": [
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0",
      "word": "rue"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "59 26 15",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English adjectives suffixed with -ful",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "89 7 3",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "84 13 3",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Entries with translation boxes",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "91 7 2",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with 1 entry",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "93 5 1",
          "kind": "other",
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          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "72 11 17",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Bulgarian translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "83 14 3",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Dutch translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "72 11 17",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Finnish translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "60 9 30",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Georgian translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "79 14 7",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with German translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "72 11 17",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Maori translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "95 4 1",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Plautdietsch translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "66 10 23",
          "kind": "other",
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          "parents": [],
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        },
        {
          "_dis": "88 10 2",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Russian translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "90 9 1",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Spanish translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "72 1 27",
          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Emotions",
          "orig": "en:Emotions",
          "parents": [
            "Mind",
            "Human",
            "All topics",
            "Fundamental"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1986, John le Carré, A Perfect Spy:",
          "text": "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.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Causing, feeling, or expressing regret or sorrow, especially in a wry or humorous way."
      ],
      "id": "en-rueful-en-adj-lo2o1Q-S",
      "links": [
        [
          "regret",
          "regret"
        ],
        [
          "sorrow",
          "sorrow"
        ]
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "87 8 5",
          "code": "bg",
          "lang": "Bulgarian",
          "roman": "pečalen",
          "sense": "causing, feeling, or expressing regret or sorrow",
          "word": "печален"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "87 8 5",
          "code": "bg",
          "lang": "Bulgarian",
          "roman": "plačeven",
          "sense": "causing, feeling, or expressing regret or sorrow",
          "word": "плачевен"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "87 8 5",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "causing, feeling, or expressing regret or sorrow",
          "word": "kaduttava"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "87 8 5",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "causing, feeling, or expressing regret or sorrow",
          "word": "katuva"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "87 8 5",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "causing, feeling, or expressing regret or sorrow",
          "word": "katuvainen"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "87 8 5",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "causing, feeling, or expressing regret or sorrow",
          "word": "reuig"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "87 8 5",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "causing, feeling, or expressing regret or sorrow",
          "word": "reumütig"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "87 8 5",
          "code": "mi",
          "lang": "Maori",
          "sense": "causing, feeling, or expressing regret or sorrow",
          "word": "āwhitu"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "87 8 5",
          "code": "mi",
          "lang": "Maori",
          "sense": "causing, feeling, or expressing regret or sorrow",
          "word": "kōhau"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "87 8 5",
          "code": "mi",
          "lang": "Maori",
          "sense": "causing, feeling, or expressing regret or sorrow",
          "word": "ngetengete"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "87 8 5",
          "code": "pdt",
          "lang": "Plautdietsch",
          "sense": "causing, feeling, or expressing regret or sorrow",
          "word": "leet (nds)"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "87 8 5",
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "causing, feeling, or expressing regret or sorrow",
          "word": "recalcado"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "87 8 5",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "grústnyj",
          "sense": "causing, feeling, or expressing regret or sorrow",
          "word": "гру́стный"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "87 8 5",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "pečálʹnyj",
          "sense": "causing, feeling, or expressing regret or sorrow",
          "word": "печа́льный"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "87 8 5",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "unýlyj",
          "sense": "causing, feeling, or expressing regret or sorrow",
          "word": "уны́лый"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "Inspiring pity or compassion."
      ],
      "id": "en-rueful-en-adj-fMy7109W",
      "links": [
        [
          "pity",
          "pity"
        ],
        [
          "compassion",
          "compassion"
        ]
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "5 95 0",
          "code": "nl",
          "lang": "Dutch",
          "sense": "inspiring pity or compassion",
          "word": "meelijwekkend"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "5 95 0",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "inspiring pity or compassion",
          "word": "surkea"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "5 95 0",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "inspiring pity or compassion",
          "word": "säälittävä"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "5 95 0",
          "code": "ka",
          "lang": "Georgian",
          "roman": "sac̣q̇ali",
          "sense": "inspiring pity or compassion",
          "word": "საწყალი"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "5 95 0",
          "code": "ka",
          "lang": "Georgian",
          "roman": "sacodavi",
          "sense": "inspiring pity or compassion",
          "word": "საცოდავი"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "5 95 0",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "inspiring pity or compassion",
          "word": "kläglich"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "5 95 0",
          "code": "mi",
          "lang": "Maori",
          "sense": "inspiring pity or compassion",
          "word": "whakaaroha"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "5 95 0",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "žálkij",
          "sense": "inspiring pity or compassion",
          "word": "жа́лкий"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "5 95 0",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "nesčástnyj",
          "sense": "inspiring pity or compassion",
          "word": "несча́стный"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "5 95 0",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "inspiring pity or compassion",
          "word": "sentir lastima o compasion"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "Bad; woeful; deplorable."
      ],
      "id": "en-rueful-en-adj-uT7s2~4P",
      "links": [
        [
          "Bad",
          "bad"
        ],
        [
          "woeful",
          "woeful"
        ],
        [
          "deplorable",
          "deplorable"
        ]
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-rueful.wav",
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  ],
  "synonyms": [
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0",
      "tags": [
        "obsolete"
      ],
      "word": "ruefull"
    }
  ],
  "word": "rueful"
}
{
  "categories": [
    "English adjectives",
    "English adjectives suffixed with -ful",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English lemmas",
    "English terms derived from Middle English",
    "English terms inherited from Middle English",
    "Entries with translation boxes",
    "Pages with 1 entry",
    "Pages with entries",
    "Terms with Bulgarian translations",
    "Terms with Dutch translations",
    "Terms with Finnish translations",
    "Terms with Georgian translations",
    "Terms with German translations",
    "Terms with Maori translations",
    "Terms with Plautdietsch translations",
    "Terms with Portuguese translations",
    "Terms with Russian translations",
    "Terms with Spanish translations",
    "en:Emotions"
  ],
  "derived": [
    {
      "word": "ruefully"
    },
    {
      "word": "ruefulness"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "ruful"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English ruful",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "rue",
        "3": "ful",
        "pos": "adjective"
      },
      "expansion": "rue + -ful",
      "name": "suffix"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From Middle English ruful, rewful; equivalent to rue + -ful.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "more rueful",
      "tags": [
        "comparative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "most rueful",
      "tags": [
        "superlative"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "rueful (comparative more rueful, superlative most rueful)",
      "name": "en-adj"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "adj",
  "related": [
    {
      "word": "rue"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with quotations"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1986, John le Carré, A Perfect Spy:",
          "text": "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.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Causing, feeling, or expressing regret or sorrow, especially in a wry or humorous way."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "regret",
          "regret"
        ],
        [
          "sorrow",
          "sorrow"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "Inspiring pity or compassion."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "pity",
          "pity"
        ],
        [
          "compassion",
          "compassion"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "Bad; woeful; deplorable."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "Bad",
          "bad"
        ],
        [
          "woeful",
          "woeful"
        ],
        [
          "deplorable",
          "deplorable"
        ]
      ]
    }
  ],
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    }
  ],
  "synonyms": [
    {
      "tags": [
        "obsolete"
      ],
      "word": "ruefull"
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "bg",
      "lang": "Bulgarian",
      "roman": "pečalen",
      "sense": "causing, feeling, or expressing regret or sorrow",
      "word": "печален"
    },
    {
      "code": "bg",
      "lang": "Bulgarian",
      "roman": "plačeven",
      "sense": "causing, feeling, or expressing regret or sorrow",
      "word": "плачевен"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "causing, feeling, or expressing regret or sorrow",
      "word": "kaduttava"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "causing, feeling, or expressing regret or sorrow",
      "word": "katuva"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "causing, feeling, or expressing regret or sorrow",
      "word": "katuvainen"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "causing, feeling, or expressing regret or sorrow",
      "word": "reuig"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "causing, feeling, or expressing regret or sorrow",
      "word": "reumütig"
    },
    {
      "code": "mi",
      "lang": "Maori",
      "sense": "causing, feeling, or expressing regret or sorrow",
      "word": "āwhitu"
    },
    {
      "code": "mi",
      "lang": "Maori",
      "sense": "causing, feeling, or expressing regret or sorrow",
      "word": "kōhau"
    },
    {
      "code": "mi",
      "lang": "Maori",
      "sense": "causing, feeling, or expressing regret or sorrow",
      "word": "ngetengete"
    },
    {
      "code": "pdt",
      "lang": "Plautdietsch",
      "sense": "causing, feeling, or expressing regret or sorrow",
      "word": "leet (nds)"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "causing, feeling, or expressing regret or sorrow",
      "word": "recalcado"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "grústnyj",
      "sense": "causing, feeling, or expressing regret or sorrow",
      "word": "гру́стный"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "pečálʹnyj",
      "sense": "causing, feeling, or expressing regret or sorrow",
      "word": "печа́льный"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "unýlyj",
      "sense": "causing, feeling, or expressing regret or sorrow",
      "word": "уны́лый"
    },
    {
      "code": "nl",
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "sense": "inspiring pity or compassion",
      "word": "meelijwekkend"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "inspiring pity or compassion",
      "word": "surkea"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "inspiring pity or compassion",
      "word": "säälittävä"
    },
    {
      "code": "ka",
      "lang": "Georgian",
      "roman": "sac̣q̇ali",
      "sense": "inspiring pity or compassion",
      "word": "საწყალი"
    },
    {
      "code": "ka",
      "lang": "Georgian",
      "roman": "sacodavi",
      "sense": "inspiring pity or compassion",
      "word": "საცოდავი"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "inspiring pity or compassion",
      "word": "kläglich"
    },
    {
      "code": "mi",
      "lang": "Maori",
      "sense": "inspiring pity or compassion",
      "word": "whakaaroha"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "žálkij",
      "sense": "inspiring pity or compassion",
      "word": "жа́лкий"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "nesčástnyj",
      "sense": "inspiring pity or compassion",
      "word": "несча́стный"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "inspiring pity or compassion",
      "word": "sentir lastima o compasion"
    }
  ],
  "word": "rueful"
}

Download raw JSONL data for rueful meaning in English (5.5kB)


This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-11-06 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-10-02 using wiktextract (fbeafe8 and 7f03c9b). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.