remorse

remorse
[14] Remorse etymologically denotes the ‘biting’ of conscience. The word comes ultimately from medieval Latin remorsus ‘torment’, a derivative of Latin remordēre ‘bite back’, hence ‘torrnent’. This was a compound verb formed from the prefix re- ‘back, again’ and mordēre ‘bite’ (source of English morsel). The noun was used in the expression remorsus conscientiae ‘torment of conscience’, which passed into Old French as remors de conscience. English adopted this at the end of the 14th century, and by the beginning of the 15th century remorse was being used on its own in the same sense. => MORSEL

The Hutchinson dictionary of word origins. 2013.

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  • Remorse — Re*morse (r?*m?rs ), n. [OE. remors, OF. remors,F. remords, LL. remorsus, fr. L. remordere, remorsum, to bite again or back, to torment; pref. re re + mordere to bite. See {Morsel}.] 1. The anguish, like gnawing pain, excited by a sense of guilt; …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • remorse — [ri môrs′] n. [ME remors < OFr < LL remorsus < L, pp. of remordere < re , again + mordere, to bite: see MORDANT] 1. a deep, torturing sense of guilt felt over a wrong that one has done; self reproach 2. pity; compassion: now only in… …   English World dictionary

  • remorse — noun anguish, chagrin, compunction, concern, conscience, conscientia mala, contriteness, contrition, disquiet, feelings of guilt, grief, pangs of conscience, penitence, regret, regretfulness, remorsefulness, repentance, rue, self accusation, self …   Law dictionary

  • remorse — late 14c., from O.Fr. remors (Fr. remords), from M.L. remorsum, from neut. pp. of L. remordere to vex, disturb, lit. to bite back, from re again + mordere to bite (see SMART (Cf. smart) (v.)). The sense evolution was via the M.L. phrase remorsus… …   Etymology dictionary

  • remorse — *penitence, repentance, contrition, attrition, compunction Analogous words: regret, *sorrow, grief: *qualm, scruple, compunction, demur …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • remorse — [n] guilty or bad conscience anguish, attrition, compassion, compunction, contriteness, contrition, grief, guilt, pangs of conscience*, penance, penitence, penitency, pity, regret, remorsefulness, repentance, rue, ruefulness, self reproach, shame …   New thesaurus

  • remorse — ► NOUN ▪ deep regret or guilt for a wrong committed. ORIGIN Latin remorsus, from mordere to bite …   English terms dictionary

  • Remorse — This article is about the emotion. For the episode of the TV series House, see Remorse (House). Remorse is an emotional expression of personal regret felt by a person after he or she has committed an act which they deem to be shameful, hurtful,… …   Wikipedia

  • remorse — noun ADJECTIVE ▪ deep, genuine, great, real … OF REMORSE ▪ pang, stab VERB + REMORSE ▪ …   Collocations dictionary

  • remorse — n. 1) to display, show remorse 2) to express; feel remorse 3) bitter, deep, profound remorse 4) a feeling; twinge of remorse 5) remorse for, over (he displayed no remorse for his crimes) * * * [rɪ mɔːs] deep feel remorse profound remorse show… …   Combinatory dictionary

  • remorse — re|morse [rıˈmo:s US o:rs] n [U] [Date: 1300 1400; : Old French; Origin: remors, from Latin remordere to bite again ] a strong feeling of being sorry that you have done something very bad →↑regret ▪ Throughout the trial, he had shown no remorse …   Dictionary of contemporary English

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