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.

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