n. [ L. miser wretched, miserable; cf. Gr. mi^sos hate, misei^n to hate: cf. It. & Sp. misero wretched, avaricious. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. A wretched person; a person afflicted by any great misfortune. [ Obs. ] Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

The woeful words of a miser now despairing. Sir P. Sidney. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A despicable person; a wretch. [ Obs. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A covetous, grasping, mean person; esp., one having wealth, who lives miserably for the sake of saving and increasing his hoard. [ 1913 Webster ]

As some lone miser, visiting his store,
Bends at his treasure, counts, recounts it o'er. Goldsmith. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. A stingy person; one very reluctant to spend money. [ PJC ]

5. A kind of large earth auger. Knight. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ F. misérable, L. miserabilis, fr. miserari to lament, pity, fr. miser wretched. See Miser. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. Very unhappy; wretched; living in misery. [ 1913 Webster ]

What hopes delude thee, miserable man? Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Causing unhappiness or misery. [ 1913 Webster ]

What 's more miserable than discontent? Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Worthless; mean; despicable; as, a miserable fellow; a miserable dinner. [ 1913 Webster ]

Miserable comforters are ye all. Job xvi. 2. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Avaricious; niggardly; miserly. [ Obs. ] Hooker. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Abject; forlorn; pitiable; wretched. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A miserable person. [ Obs. ] Sterne. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The state or quality of being miserable. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a miserable; unhappily; calamitously; wretchedly; meanly. [ 1913 Webster ]

They were miserably entertained. Sir P. Sidney. [ 1913 Webster ]

The fifth was miserably stabbed to death. South. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Commiseration. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ L., have mercy, fr. misereri to have mercy, fr. miser. See Miser. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. (R. C. Ch.) The psalm usually appointed for penitential acts, being the 50th psalm in the Latin version. It commences with the word miserere. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A musical composition adapted to the 50th psalm. [ 1913 Webster ]

Where only the wind signs miserere. Lowell. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Arch.) A small projecting boss or bracket, on the under side of the hinged seat of a church stall (see Stall). It was intended, the seat being turned up, to give some support to a worshiper when standing. Called also misericordia. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Med.) Same as Ileus. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. miséricorde. See Misericordia. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. Compassion; pity; mercy. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Anc. Armor.) Same as Misericordia, 2. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ L., mercy, compassion; miser wretched + cor, cordis, heart. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. (O. Law) An amercement. Burrill. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Anc. Armor.) A thin-bladed dagger; so called, in the Middle Ages, because used to give the death wound or “mercy” stroke to a fallen adversary. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Eccl.) An indulgence as to food or dress granted to a member of a religious order. Shipley. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ From Miser. ] Like a miser; very covetous; avaricious; stingy; sordid; niggardly. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Avaricious; niggardly; sordid; parsimonious; avaricious; penurious; covetous; stingy; mean. See Avaricious. [ 1913 Webster ]