| 释义 |
▪ I. regret, n.|rɪˈgrɛt|
Also 6–7 regrete.
[a. F. regret, verbal n. f. regretter to regret. Adopted earlier in Sc. in the form regrate n.1]
†1. Complaint, lament. Obs. = regrate n.1 1.
1533Bellenden Livy (S.T.S.) II. 167 Throw þe miserabil sicht..of þis man, and throw his pietuous regret [v.r. regrate], raiss ane huge noyis and clamoure. a1547Surrey æneid ii. 93 With this regrete [Douglas regrate] our hartes from rancor moved.
2. a. Sorrow or disappointment due to some external circumstance or event.
1590Spenser F.Q. i. vii. 20 When her eyes..saw the signes that deadly tydinges spake, She fell to ground for sorrowfull regret. 1662J. Davies tr. Olearius' Voy. Ambass. 278 [He had hoped] that our Lives would be an example to the Christians of the Country..; but that, to his regret, he found the contrary. 1759Robertson Hist. Scot. ii. Wks. 1813 I. 138 The protestants beheld with regret the earl of Argyll..still adhering to the queen. 1784Cowper Task iii. 710 Scenes that I love, and with regret perceive Forsaken, or through folly not enjoyed. 1858J. B. Norton Topics 192, I concur with the Collector of Moradabad, in thinking that we have not cause to look on the fact with regret.
b. An intimation of regret for inability to do something, esp. to accept an invitation.
1851T. A. Burke Polly Peablossom's Wedding 177 The invitations went out, and strange to say, not a single ‘regret’ was sent in; but all came. 1859Bartlett Dict. Amer. 359 Regret, a note declining an invitation, and containing an expression of regret for the same; as, ‘I can't go to Mrs. Jone's ball next Wednesday, but must send a regret’. A new lady's term. 1896Durh. Univ. Jrnl. 8 Feb. 1 We wonder if it is not possible..for notices of ‘regrets’ to be posted in the Infirmary as well as at the College... It is rather annoying..only to find a ‘regret’ posted in the College.
3. Sorrow or pain due to reflection on something one has done or left undone.
c1641Chas. I Refl. Strafford's Death in Somers Tracts (1810) IV. 252, I never did bear any touch of conscience with greater regret. 1667Decay Chr. Piety vii. 150 A passionate regret at Sin, a grief and sadness at its Memory, more speciously pretends to enter us into Gods roll of Mourners. 1727De Foe Syst. Magic i. i. (1840) 17 All wise men looked back with regret upon those actions of their lives which they have been drawn into, and in which they have reason to see themselves mistaken. 1813Shelley Q. Mab v. 246 Pining regrets, and vain repentances..pervade Their valueless and miserable lives. 1863Geo. Eliot Romola xi, A face only a little less bright than usual, from regret at appearing so late.
4. Sorrow at, or for, some loss or deprivation or a lost thing or person. Also const. of.
1647Clarendon Hist. Reb. i. §64 And sure never any prince manifested more a most lively regret for the loss of a servant than his majesty did for this great man. 1695Prior Death Q. Mary 100 Her piety itself would blame, If her regrets should waken thine. 1709Lady W. M. Montagu Lett., to Mrs. Hewet Nov. (1887) I. 28 You know people can never leave your company, or writing to you, without regret. 1781Cowper Charity 145 The sable warrior, frantic with regret Of her he loves and never can forget. 1820Shelley Witch Atl. xiv, The feeling and sound are fled and gone, And the regret they leave remains alone. 1871R. Ellis Catullus xcvi. 4 When for a friend long lost wakes some unhappy regret.
†5. Dislike, disinclination, aversion. Obs.—1
1667Decay Chr. Piety vii. 152 Is it a vertue to have some ineffective regrets to damnation, and such a Vertue too, as shall serve to ballance all our vices?
6. a. attrib., with the sense of ‘expressing regret’.
1897Westm. Gaz. 26 Aug. 7/3 A sheaf of over seventy ‘regret’ telegrams. 1898Ibid. 2 Apr. 6/1 Last night the whole of the allotment letters and many of the regret letters were posted.
b. Comb., as regret-laden, regret-worthy.
1871H. B. Forman Living Poets 289 both astonishing and regretworthy. 1873E. Brennan Witch of Nemi, etc. 225 As hence we're driven, regret-laden, To that mist-land.
▪ II. regret, v.|rɪˈgrɛt|
Also 5, 7 regrete.
[ad. F. regretter, OF. also regreter and regrater: see regrate v.1
The ultimate origin of the Fr. verb is uncertain; some Romanic philologists are inclined to connect it with the Teutonic stem represented in English by greet v.2]
1. trans. To remember, think of (something lost), with distress or longing; to feel († or express) sorrow for the loss of (a person or thing).
13..E. E. Allit. P. A. 243 Art þou my perle þat I haf playned, Regretted by myn one..? 1483Caxton G. de la Tour C ij, He cam to hym mournyng and wepyng waylyng and regretyng his wyf. 1611Florio, Regrettare, to regret, to condole. 1692Dryden St. Euremont's Ess. 104 He died at length regretted of all men. 1735Pope Ep. Lady 234 Sure, if they catch, to spoil the Toy at most, To covet flying, and regret when lost. 1784Cowper Task iv. 777 Sad witnesses how close-pent man regrets The country. 1863Fawcett Pol. Econ. i. iii. 16 Employers were heard to regret those days when there were no schools to corrupt the industrial virtues of the workmen.
2. To grieve at, feel mental distress on account of (some event, fact, action, etc.).
1553Douglas' æneis i. iv. 106 Eneas Regrettis oft the hard fortun, and case Of sterne Orontes, now drownyt in the se. 1660Boyle New Exp. Phys. Mech. Wks. 1744 I 72/2, I shall not regret the trouble my experiments have cost me, if they be found in any degree serviceable to the purposes..to which they were designed. 1671MacWard True Nonconf. 155 And we have already both acknowledged, and regreted the grievous abuse, occasioned by that latter practice. 1680Cotton Death Earl of Ossory, Ah, cruel Fate, thou never struck'st a blow By all Mankind regretted so. 1732Berkeley Alciphr. i. §1 What I most regret is the corruption of his mind. 1781Cowper Table T. 176 Poets, of all men, ever least regret Increasing taxes and the nation's debt. 1822Shelley tr. Calderon i. 201 Do you regret My victory? Who but regrets a check In rivalry of wit? 1878Lecky Eng. in 18th C. I. i. 124 Alone among the Spaniards the Catalans had real reason to regret the peace.
3. absol. or intr. To feel regret.
1853Mrs. Gaskell Ruth II. x. 281 Those who had umbrellas were putting them up; those who had not were regretting and wondering how long it would last. 1883‘H. Conway’ Called Back vi. 77 ‘Do you regret, Mr. Vaughan?’ ‘No—not if there is a chance.’
Hence reˈgretting vbl. n. and ppl. a.; reˈgrettingly adv.
1721Strype Eccl. Mem. III. xxvii. 213 The main design..was to drive on Papal religion and in the mean while to secure the regretting people from rising. 1790A. Wilson in Poems & Lit. Prose (1876) II. 193 Edina's crowd Should never have cost me one regretting sigh. 1826Scott Jrnl. 24 Jan., Many were [thinking of me], undoubtedly; and all rather regrettingly. 1837Verlander Vestal, etc. 88, I did not think again to feel These vain regrettings of the past. 1907G. B. Shaw John Bull's Other Island iv. 105 No more neglect, no more loneliness, no more idle regrettings and vain-hopings. |