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condole

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

English

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WOTD – 7 December 2024

Etymology

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PIE word
*ḱóm

Learned borrowing from Ecclesiastical Latin condolēre,[1] the present active infinitive of condoleō (“to feel severe pain, suffer greatly; to suffer with or feel another’s pain, condole”), from Latin con- (prefix denoting a being or bringing together of several things) + doleō (“to suffer physical pain, hurt; to be sorry, grieve for, deplore, lament”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *delh₁- (“to divide, split”)).

Pronunciation

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Verb

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condole (third-person singular simple present condoles, present participle condoling, simple past and past participle condoled)

  1. (intransitive)
    1. Followed by with: to express condolence to, or sympathetic sorrow with, someone; to lament in sympathy with someone.
      • 1651, Thomas Hobbes, “Of the Publique Ministers of a Soveraign Power”, in Leviathan, or The Matter, Forme, & Power of a Common-wealth Ecclesiasticall and Civill, London: […] [William Wilson] for Andrew Crooke, […], →OCLC, 2nd part (Of Common-wealth), page 126:
        [A]n Ambaſſador ſent from a Prince, to congratulate, condole, or to aſſiſt at a ſolemnity, though the Authority be Publique, yet becauſe the buſineſſe is Private, and belonging to him in his naturall capacity; is a Private perſon.
      • 1674 February 8 (date written; Gregorian calendar), William Temple, “To the Countess of Essex, upon Her Grief Occasioned by the Loss of Her Only Daughter. […]”, in Miscellanea. […], London: […] A. M. and R. R. for Edward Gellibrand, […], published 1680, →OCLC, pages 170–171:
        […] I doubt Madam, your complaints ought to be turned into acknovvledgments, and your Friends vvould have cauſe to rejoyce rather than condole vvith you; […]
      • 1710 January 18 (Gregorian calendar), Isaac Bickerstaff [et al., pseudonyms; Richard Steele et al.], “Saturday, January 7, 1709–10”, in The Tatler, number 117; republished in [Richard Steele], editor, The Tatler, […], London stereotype edition, volume II, London: I. Walker and Co.;  […], 1822, →OCLC, page 223:
        The hero having heard of his friend's death, immediately repaired to his mistress, to condole with her, and comfort her.
        The spelling has been modernized.
      • 1813 January 27, [Jane Austen], chapter V, in Pride and Prejudice: […], volume III, London: […] [George Sidney] for T[homas] Egerton, […], →OCLC, page 108:
        She was of great use and comfort to us all, and lady Lucas has been very kind; she walked here on Wednesday morning to condole with us, and offered her services, or any of her daughters, if they could be of use to us.
      • 1847 March 30, Herman Melville, “Queen Pomaree”, in Omoo: A Narrative of Adventures in the South Seas; […], London: John Murray, […], →OCLC, page 309:
        […] Tanee was accosted by certain good fellows, friends and boon companions, who condoled with him on his misfortunes—railed against the queen, and finally dragged him away to an illicit vender of spirits, in whose house the party got gloriously mellow.
      • [1857], St. Bridget [i.e., Bridget of Sweden], “Various Prayers on the Passion of Our Lord. [The Prayers of St. Bridget, Equalled in Devotion by None, on the Passion of Christ. Prayer V.]”, in James Merlo Horstius, translated by [anonymous], The Paradise of the Christian Soul, […], London: Burns & Lambert, […], →OCLC, part VI (On the Life and Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ), page 493, column 2:
        O Jesus! mirror of eternal love, remember […] the infinite depth of thy mercy, with which thou then condoledst with us lost and desperate sinners, and which thou displayedst to the thief on the cross, in saying, This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise; […]
      • 1871–1872, George Eliot [pseudonym; Mary Ann Evans], chapter LXIV, in Middlemarch […], volume IV, Edinburgh, London: William Blackwood and Sons, →OCLC, book VII, page 37:
        Since the Captain’s visit, she had received a letter from him, and also one from Mrs Mengan, his married sister, condoling with her on the loss of her baby, and expressing vaguely the hope that they should see her again at Quallingham.
      • 1891, R[obert] E[dward Treston] Forrest, “The Sack of the Bank”, in Eight Days […], copyright edition, volume II, Leipzig: Bernhard Tauchnitz, →OCLC, page 42:
        A glance at Mr. Melvil's face has shown her how deeply he feels his present situation. Mr. Melvil condoles with them—condoles with Mr. Hilton about the loss of the money in the Bank's strong-room.
      • 1900 September, Stephen Crane, “God Rest Ye, Merry Gentlemen”, in Wounds in the Rain: War Stories, New York, N.Y.: Frederick A[bbott] Stokes Company, →OCLC, page 75:
        Little Nell condoled and condoled without difficulty. He laid words of gentle sympathy before them, and smothered his own misery behind the face of a reporter of the New York Eclipse.
      • 1922 February, James Joyce, “[Episode 11: Sirens]”, in Ulysses, Paris: Shakespeare and Company, […], →OCLC, part II [Odyssey], page 252:
        ― So sad to look at his face, Miss Douce condoled.
      • 1940, Joseph Shearing [pseudonym; Marjorie Bowen], “Part One”, in The Crime of Laura Sarelle, [Cleveland, Oh.]: DigiCat, published 2022:
        "You still look faint, my dear," condoled Mrs. Sylk. "It is the motion and smell of this hideous train. How it rocks! And though we keep the window closed I swear one can hardly breathe for the stench and the soot."
      • 1988, Alan Hollinghurst, chapter 7, in The Swimming-Pool Library, paperback edition, London: Penguin Books, →ISBN, page 146:
        'There's always another time,' I condoled feebly.
    2. (obsolete) To express deep sorrow; to grieve, to lament.
      Synonyms: besorrow, mourn, rue; see also Thesaurus:be sad
      • c. 1595–1596 (date written), William Shakespeare, A Midsommer Nights Dreame. […] (First Quarto), London: […] [Richard Bradock] for Thomas Fisher, […], published 1600, →OCLC, [Act I, scene ii], signature B2, recto:
        Bott[om]. VVhat is Pyramus? a louer, or a tyrant? / Quin[ce]. A louer that kils himſelfe, moſt gallant, for loue. / Bott. That vvill aſke ſome teares in the true performing of it. If I doe it, let the Audience looke to their eyes: I vvil mooue ſtormes: I vvill condole, in ſome meaſure.
      • 1650, Thomas Fuller, “Manasseh beyond Jordan”, in A Pisgah-sight of Palestine and the Confines thereof, with the History of the Old and New Testament Acted thereon, London: […] J. F. for John Williams […], →OCLC, book II, paragraph 10, page 94:
        As vve congratulate their thus preventing perſecution according to Chriſts precept, ſo vve cannot but condole, that the ſame perſons vvere aftervvards poiſoned vvith hereticall opinions, contrary to the expreſs vvord of God, and became Apoſtate Nazarites.
  2. (transitive)
    1. (archaic or obsolete except India, often formal) To express regret or sorrow over (an undesirable event or other misfortune); to bemoan, to grieve, to lament.
      Synonyms: bewail, mourn; see also Thesaurus:lament
      • 1624, John Donne, “23. Meditation”, in Deuotions upon Emergent Occasions, and Seuerall Steps in My Sicknes: […], London: […] A[ugustine] M[atthews] for Thomas Iones, →OCLC, page 599:
        Nay, compaſsion it ſelfe, comes to no great degree, if vvee haue not felt, in ſome proportion, in our ſelues, that vvhich vvee lament and condole in another.
      • 1649, Richard Baxter, “An Exhortation to Seriousness in Seeking Rest”, in The Saints Everlasting Rest: Or, A Treatise of the Blessed State of the Saints in Their Enjoyment of God in Glory. […], London: […] Rob[ert] White, for Thomas Underhil and Francis Tyton, […], →OCLC, part III, section 22, paragraph 4, page 366:
        God is Serious in hearing our Prayers, and delivering us from our dangers, and removing our troubles, and beſtovving his Mercies. VVhen vve are afflicted he is afflicted vvith us, […] He condoleth their miſery vvhen he is forced to chaſtiſe them: […]
      • 1678, John Bunyan, The Pilgrim’s Progress from This World, to That which is to Come: […], London: […] Nath[aniel] Ponder […], →OCLC; reprinted in The Pilgrim’s Progress as Originally Published by John Bunyan: Being a Fac-simile Reproduction of the First Edition, London: Elliot Stock […], 1875, →OCLC, page 4:
        [H]e began to retire himſelf to his Chamber to pray for, and pity them [his relations]; and alſo to condole his own miſery; he would alſo walk ſolitarily in the Fields, ſometimes reading, and ſometimes praying: and thus for ſome days he ſpent his time.
      • 1680, John Dryden, “The Preface to Ovid’s Epistles”, in Ovid, Ovid’s Epistles, […], London: […] Jacob Tonson […], →OCLC:
        If Julia were then Married to Agrippa, vvhy ſhould our Poet make his Petition to Iſis, for her ſafe Delivery, and aftervvards, Condole her Miſcarriage; vvhich for ought he knevv might be by her ovvn Husband?
      • 1697, William Dampier, chapter V, in A New Voyage Round the World. […], London: […] James Knapton, […], →OCLC, page 127:
        [W]hether it be natural to the Indians to be thus melancholy, or the effect of their Slavery, I am not certain: But I have alvvays been prone to believe, that they are then only condoling their misfortunes, the loſs of their Country and Liberties: […]
      • 1720, [Daniel Defoe], The Life, Adventures, and Pyracies, of the Famous Captain Singleton, London: […] J[ohn] Brotherton, […], J[ohn] Graves […], A[nne] Dodd, […], and T[homas] Warner, […], →OCLC, pages 69–70:
        As ſoon as vve had fired, they ſet up the horrideſt Yell, or Hovvling, partly raiſed by thoſe that vvere vvounded, and partly by thoſe that pitied and condoled the Bodies they ſavv lye dead, that I never heard any thing like it before or ſince.
      • 1748, [Samuel Richardson], “Letter XXVIII. Colonel Morden, to Miss Cl[arissa] Harlowe.”, in Clarissa. Or, The History of a Young Lady: […], volume VII, London: […] S[amuel] Richardson;  […], →OCLC, page 120:
        Permit me to condole thoſe misfortunes, vvhich have occaſioned ſo unhappy a difference betvveen you, and the reſt of your family: And to offer my aſſiſtance, to enable you to make the beſt of vvhat has happened.
      • 2020 April 25, “Actor Ravi Vallathol Passes Away”, in MixIndia‎[1], archived from the original on 2021-11-18:
        Ramesh Chennithala, Leader of the Opposition, condoled the death of veteran film serial writer and writer Ravi Vallathol. […] In his condolence message, he said that like Gopinathan Nair [i.e., Bharat Gopy], he made a huge contribution to the culture.
    2. (obsolete)
      1. To express condolence to, or sympathetic sorrow with (someone); to lament in sympathy with (someone).
        Synonyms: commiserate, feel sorry for; see also Thesaurus:pity
        Coordinate term: console
        • 1599 (date written), [William Shakespeare], The Cronicle History of Henry the Fift, […] (First Quarto), London: […] Thomas Creede, for Tho[mas] Millington, and Iohn Busby […], published 1600, →OCLC, [Act II, scene i], signature B2, verso:
          Let vs condoll the knight: for lamkins vve vvill liue.
        • 1662, Jo. Donne [i.e., John Donne the Younger], “[A Cabinet of Merry Conceits.] 98. Another [Of the Uncertainty of Life].”, in Donne’s Satyr. […], London: […] R. W. for M. Wright, […], →OCLC, page 64:
          I not condole the dead, but thoſe vvho're living, / To vvhom the fear of death, gives cauſe of grieveing.
        • 1958 October 12, Isak Dinesen [pseudonym; Karen Blixen], “Babette’s Feast”, in Anecdotes of Destiny, New York, N.Y.: Random House, →OCLC, page 37:
          When in early days the sisters had gently condoled her upon her losses, they had been met with that majesty and stoicism of which Monsieur Papin had written. 'What will you ladies?' she had answered, shrugging her shoulders, 'it is Fate.'
        • 1993, William Dalrymple, chapter 4, in City of Djinns: A Year in Delhi, London: Harper Perennial, HarperCollinsPublishers, published 2005, →ISBN, page 73:
          If the Times is to be believed, Indian politicians like nothing better than a quick condole; and certainly barely a day passes without a picture of, say, the Chief Minister of Haryana condoling Mrs Parvati Chaudhuri over the death of Mr Devi Chaudhuri, the director-general of All-India Widgets. Indeed, condoling shows every sign of becoming a growth industry. If a businessman has died but it is not considered important enough to be condoled by the Chief Minister, it is becoming fashionable for his business colleagues to take out an illustrated advertisement and condole him themselves.
      2. (reflexive) To express or feel sorrow for (oneself); to bewail, to mourn.
        • 1710 September 20 (Gregorian calendar), Isaac Bickerstaff [et al., pseudonyms; Richard Steele et al.], “Saturday, September 9, 1710”, in The Tatler, number 222; republished in [Richard Steele], editor, The Tatler, […], London stereotype edition, volume III, London: I. Walker and Co.;  […], 1822, →OCLC, page 229:
          [A]s for our tramontane lovers, when they begin their midnight complaint with, My lodging upon the cold ground is, we are not to understand them in the rigour of the letter; since it would be impossible for a British swain to condole himself long in that situation, without really dying for his mistress.
          The spelling has been modernized.

Conjugation

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Conjugation of condole
infinitive (to) condole
present tense past tense
1st-person singular condole condoled
2nd-person singular condole, condolest† condoled, condoledst†
3rd-person singular condoles, condoleth† condoled
plural condole
subjunctive condole condoled
imperative condole —
participles condoling condoled

†Archaic or obsolete.

Derived terms

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Translations

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References

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  1. ^ “condole, v.”, in OED Online Paid subscription required⁠, Oxford: Oxford University Press, September 2023; “condole, v.”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.

Further reading

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Anagrams

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Latin

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Pronunciation

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Verb

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condolē

  1. second-person singular present active imperative of condoleō
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