pine
2
[ pahyn ]
/ paɪn /
verb (used without object), pined, pin·ing.
to yearn deeply; suffer with longing; long painfully (often followed by for): to pine for one's home and family.
to fail gradually in health or vitality from grief, regret, or longing (often followed by away): Separated by their families, the lovers pined away.
Archaic.
to be discontented; fret.
verb (used with object), pined, pin·ing.
Archaic.
to suffer grief or regret over.
noun
Archaic.
painful longing.
Origin of pine
2
before 900; Middle English
pinen to torture, torment, inflict pain, be in pain; Old English
pīnian to torture, derivative of
pīn torture (Middle English
pine) < Late Latin
pēna, Latin
poena punishment. See
pain
SYNONYMS FOR pine
1 See
yearn.
2 dwindle, decline, languish, droop, waste.
Words nearby pine
pinder,
pindling,
pindo palm,
pindolol,
pindus,
pine,
pine barren,
pine barrens,
pine bluff,
pine cone,
pine end
Example sentences from the Web for pining
British Dictionary definitions for pining (1 of 3)
pine
1
/ (paɪn) /
noun
any evergreen resinous coniferous tree of the genus Pinus, of the N hemisphere, with long needle-shaped leaves and brown cones: family Pinaceae
See also longleaf pine, nut pine, pitch pine, Scots pine
any other tree or shrub of the family Pinaceae
the wood of any of these trees
any of various similar but unrelated plants, such as ground pine and screw pine
Word Origin for pine
Old English
pīn, from Latin
pīnus pine
British Dictionary definitions for pining (2 of 3)
pine
2
/ (paɪn) /
verb
(intr; often foll by for or an infinitive)
to feel great longing or desire; yearn
(intr often foll by away)
to become ill, feeble, or thin through worry, longing, etc
(tr) archaic
to mourn or grieve for
Word Origin for pine
Old English
pīnian to torture, from
pīn pain, from Medieval Latin
pēna, from Latin
poena
pain
British Dictionary definitions for pining (3 of 3)
Pine
/ (paɪn) /
noun
Courtney. born 1964, British jazz saxophonist and clarinettist