Sympathy
Sympathy , noun
[French sympathie, Latin sympathia, Greek {not transcribed}; sy`n with + {not transcribed} suffering, passion, from {not transcribed}, {not transcribed}, 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.
They saw, but other sight instead -- a crowd
Of ugly serpents! Horror on them fell,
And horrid sympathy.
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.
3.
Kindness of feeling toward one who suffers; pity; commiseration; compassion.
I value myself upon sympathy, I hate and despise myself for envy.
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.”
4.
(a) (Physiology & Medicine) 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)
(Physiology & Medicine) The influence of a certain psychological state in one person in producing a like state in another.
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.
5.
A tendency of inanimate things to unite, or to act on each other; as, the sympathy between the loadstone and iron. [Rare]
6.
Similarity of function, use office, or the like.
The adverb has most sympathy with the verb.
Fault,
Acknowledged and deplored, in Adam wrought
Commiseration.