rue
/ru:/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun:
- A feeling of sorrow, regret, or repentance: "Rue" refers to a state of deep sadness or remorse for something one has done or failed to do.
- A perennial herb: "Rue" is also the name of a strong-smelling, bitter-tasting European plant with grey-green leaves, known botanically as Ruta graveolens.
Verb:
- To feel remorse or regret for: To "rue" an action or decision means to bitterly regret it and feel sorrowful about it.
Usage Examples
Noun (Emotion):
- He felt a deep rue for his harsh words.
- She looked back on her decision with nothing but rue.
Noun (Plant):
- The gardener warned that rue can cause skin irritation.
- Rue was once commonly used in herbal medicine.
Verb:
- You will rue the day you made that choice.
- He rued his decision to sell the property so early.
Advanced Usage
- "To rue the day/hour/moment (that)...": This is a common, emphatic structure used to express deep regret for a specific past event or decision.
- I rue the day I agreed to help him with his project.
- "More to be pitied than rued": A literary phrase suggesting someone's situation deserves sympathy more than censure or blame for their regretful actions.
Variants and Related Words
- Rueful (adj): Expressing or feeling sorrow or regret, often with a hint of irony or resignation.
- He gave a rueful smile when he realized his mistake.
- Ruefully (adv): In a manner that shows regret.
- She ruefully admitted she had been wrong.
Synonyms
- Noun (Emotion): Regret, remorse, contrition, sorrow, penitence.
- Verb: Regret, repent, lament, bemoan, deplore.
Phrasal Verbs / Common Collocations
- To rue one's actions/words/decision: A standard collocation for the verb form.
- She lived to rue her impulsive decision.
- Full of rue: A descriptive phrase for the noun form.
- His apology was full of rue.
Related Idioms
- "Rue the consequences": To bitterly regret the outcomes of one's actions.
- If you ignore the rules, you will rue the consequences.
- "A rueful reflection": A thought or period of thinking back on something with regret.
- His memoir contained many a rueful reflection on his youth.
Noun
- (French) a street or road in France
- sadness associated with some wrong done or some disappointment
- he drank to drown his sorrows
- he wrote a note expressing his regret
- to his rue, the error cost him the game
- leaves sometimes used for flavoring fruit or claret cup but should be used with great caution: can cause irritation like poison ivy
- European strong-scented perennial herb with grey-green bitter-tasting leaves; an irritant similar to poison ivy
Verb
- feel remorse for; feel sorry for; be contrite about