Associations to the word «Pathetic»

Wiktionary

PATHETIC, adjective. Arousing pity, sympathy, or compassion.
PATHETIC, adjective. Arousing scornful pity or contempt, often due to miserable inadequacy.
PATHETIC, adjective. (obsolete) Expressing or showing anger; passionate.
PATHETIC FALLACIES, noun. Plural of pathetic fallacy
PATHETIC FALLACY, noun. An metaphor which consists in treating inanimate objects or concepts as if they were human beings, for instance having thoughts or feelings.

Dictionary definition

PATHETIC, adjective. Deserving or inciting pity; "a hapless victim"; "miserable victims of war"; "the shabby room struck her as extraordinarily pathetic"- Galsworthy; "piteous appeals for help"; "pitiable homeless children"; "a pitiful fate"; "Oh, you poor thing"; "his poor distorted limbs"; "a wretched life".
PATHETIC, adjective. Inspiring mixed contempt and pity; "their efforts were pathetic"; "pitiable lack of character"; "pitiful exhibition of cowardice".
PATHETIC, adjective. Inspiring scornful pity; "how silly an ardent and unsuccessful wooer can be especially if he is getting on in years"- Dashiell Hammett.

Wise words

Abuse of words has been the great instrument of sophistry and chicanery, of party, faction, and division of society.
John Adams