Sympathy sb.

Also 6–7 sim-, -ie. [ad. late L. sympathia, a. Gr. συμπάθεια, f. συμπαθής having a fellow feeling, f. σύν SYM- + παθ-, τoot of πάθος suffering, feeling, πάσχειν to suffer. Cf. F. sympathie (from 15th c.), It., Sp. simpatia, Pg. sympathia.]

  1.  A (real or supposed) affinity between certain things, by virtue of which they are similarly or correspondingly affected by the same influence, affect or influence one another (esp. in some occult way), or attract or tend towards each other. Obs. exc. Hist. or as merged in other senses.

  Powder of sympathy (sympathy-powder), a powder supposed to heal wounds by ‘sympathy’ on being applied to a handkerchief or garment stained with blood from the wound, or to the weapon with which the wound was inflicted: also called sympathetic powder (see SYMPATHETIC a. 1).

[1579.  J. Jones, Preserv. Bodie & Soule, Ep. Ded. p. vi. Plato also testifieth suche a Sympathia to be betweene the bodye and the soule, that if either exceede the meane, the one suffereth with the other.]

a. 1586.  Sidney, Arcadia, III. xvii. (1912), 455. His Impresa was a Catoblepta, which so long lies dead, as the Moone (whereto it hath so naturall a sympathie) wants her light.

1601.  Holland, Pliny, II. Explan. A vj b. Sympathie, i. a fellow-feeling, used in Plinie for the agreement or amitie naturall in divers senselesse things, as betweene yron and the loadstone. Ibid., XXIV. i. II. 175. In every … corner of the world there may be observed both sympathies and antipathies (I meane those naturall combinations and contrarieties in those her creatures).

1613.  Purchas, Pilgrimage, V. xii. 431. Crabbes heere with vs haue a sympathy with the Moone, and are fullest with her fulnes.

1658.  R. White (title), A late Discourse Made … in France, By Sr. Kenelme Digby … Touching the Cure of Wounds by the Powder of Sympathy.

1668.  Sedley, Mulberry Gard., III. ii. 43. I have Sympathy-powder about me, if you will give me your handkercher while the blood is warm, will cure it immediately.

1711.  Steele, Spect., No. 53, ¶ 3. Those Applications which are said to convey their virtues by Sympathy.

1815.  J. Smith, Panorama Sci. & Art, II. 181. The cures said to have been performed by magnetic sympathy.

1883.  W. G. Black, Folk-Medicine, iii. 50. That doctrine of sympathy which accompanies all remedies by association.

  b.  Physiol. and Path. A relation between two bodily organs or parts (or between two persons) such that disorder, or any condition, of the one induces a corresponding condition in the other.

1603.  Holland, Plutarch, Explan. Words, Sympathie, that is to say, A fellow feeling, as is between the head and stomacke.

1655.  Culpepper, etc., Riverius, VII. i. 146. Breathing is hindered by sympathy or consent from other parts. Ibid. (1668), & Cole, Barthol. Anat., I. xvii. 47. The Sympathy between the Kidneys and the Stomach, as when persons diseased in their Kidneys, are troubled with Stomach-sickness and vomiting.

1836.  A. Combe, Physiol. Digestion, II. iv. (ed. 2), 161. The sympathy between them [sc. the skin and the mucous coat of the alimentary canal] is … very rapid and intimate. Eruptions on the skin, for example, are almost always owing to disorder of the digestive organs; and bowel-complaint, on the other hand, is often produced by a sudden chill on the surface.

1871.  A. Meadows, Man. Midwifery (ed. 2), 167. The child should be put to the breast … as this…, through the sympathy between the breast and uterus, is sure to excite uterine action.

  c.  Comm. in phr. in sympathy with, used in market reports in reference to a rise or fall in the price of a commodity induced by a rise or fall in that of another, or by some event or circumstance.

1897.  Daily News, 7 May, 7/2. Corn opened easy, with July ¹/₂c. down…, but recovered in sympathy with wheat.

1912.  Times, 19 Dec., 20/4. Lard…. American refined in pails is easier in sympathy with advices from the other side.

  2.  Agreement, accord, hormony, consonance, concord; agreement in qualities, likeness, conformity, correspondence. Obs. or merged in 3 a.

[1567.  Fenton, Trag. Disc., ii. (1898), I. 90. If he had bene aunswerd with a sympathia, or equalitie of frendshipp. Ibid., xiii. II. 247. Whereof [sc. of the passion or fever of love] there seamed alredie a sympathia, or equalitie, betwene the two younglinges.

1574.  J. Jones, Nat. Beginning Grow. Things, 29. Of the good effectes, Simpathia, vnity, agreements of the spirites, humors and members, health is … preserued.]

1579.  Lyly, Euphues (Arb.), 48. Doth not the simpathy of manners make the coniunction of mindes?

1588.  Shaks., Tit. A., III. i. 148. O what a simpathy of woe is this!

1589.  Puttenham, Engl. Poesie, II. x. [xi.] (Arb.), 98. If it please the eare well, the same represented by delineation to the view pleaseth the eye well…: and this is by a naturall simpathie, betweene the eare and the eye, and betweene tunes and colours, even as there is the like betweene the other sences and their obiects.

1590.  Greene, Mourn. Garment Wks. (Grosart), IX. 179. Iubal exercised Musike, and spent his time in practising the simpathy of sundry sounds.

1592.  Shaks., Rom. & Jul., III. iii. 85. O he is euen in my Mistresse case … O wofull simpathy. Ibid. (1598), Merry W., II. i. 7, 9, 10. Ibid. (1604), Oth., II. i. 232. There should be … simpathy in yeares, Manners, and Beauties: all which the Moore is defectiue in.

1684.  Bunyan, Pilgr. P., II. (1900), 234. I think there was a kind of a Sympathy betwixt that Valley and him.

1777.  Watson, Philip II. (1793), II. XI. 8. He was strongly attached by sympathy of manners to the Princes.

1847.  L. Hunt, Jar Honey, xii. (1848), 159. One of those sympathies of colour which are often finer than contrast.

  3.  a. Conformity of feelings, inclinations, or temperament, which makes persons agreeable to each other; community of feeling; harmony of disposition.

1596.  Spenser, Hymn Beauty, 199. Loue is a celestiall harmonie, Of likely harts … Which ioyne together in sweete sympathie, To worke ech others ioy and true content.

1633.  Heywood, Eng. Trav., I. i. So sweet a simpathie, As crownes a noble marriage.

1775.  Harris, Philos. Arrangem., Wks. (1841), 291. There is … a social sympathy in the soul of man, which prompts … individuals … to congregate, and form themselves into tribes.

1789.  W. H. Brown, Power of Sympathy, II. 158.

1822–7.  Good, Study Med. (1829), IV. 61. The sympathies and antipathies, the whims and prejudices that … haunt us.

1833.  Ht. Martineau, Briery Creek, ii. 26. It was impossible that there could be much sympathy between two men so unlike.

1876.  Mozley, Univ. Serm., x. (1877), 206. They enjoy the sympathy of kindred souls.

  b.  The quality or state of being affected by the condition of another with a feeling similar or corresponding to that of the other; the fact or capacity of entering into or sharing the feelings of another or others; fellow-feeling. Also, a feeling or frame of mind evoked by and responsive to some external influence. Const. with (a person, etc., or a feeling).

1662.  R. Mathew, Unl. Alch., p. x. Out of faithful and true simpathy and fellow-feeling with you.

1667.  Milton, P. L., IV. 465. With answering looks Of sympathie and love. Ibid., X. 540. Horror on them fell, And horrid sympathie.

1756.  Burke, Subl. & Beaut., I. xiii. Sympathy must be considered as a sort of Substitution, by which we are put in the place of another man, and affected in many respects as he is affected.

1784.  Cowper, Task, VI. 1. There is in souls a sympathy with sounds … Some chord in unison with what we hear Is touched within us, and the heart replies.

1833.  Coleridge, Table-t., 30 Aug. For compassion a human heart suffices: but for full and adequate sympathy with joy, an angel’s only.

1856.  Froude, Hist. Eng., I. v. 447. Our sympathies are naturally on the side of the weak and the unsuccessful.

1859.  Hawthorne, Fr. & It. Journals, II. 277. Such depth and breadth of sympathy with Nature.

1862.  Sir B. Brodie, Psychol. Inq., II. iii. 99. A cheerful disposition … leads to sympathy with others in all the smaller concerns of life.

1880.  Disraeli, Endym., xvi. The sympathy of sorrow is stronger than the sympathy of prosperity.

1907.  Verney Mem., I. 76. A favourite daughter, to whom he turned on all occasions for sympathy and affection.

  c.  spec. The quality or state of being thus affected by the suffering or sorrow of another; a feeling of compassion or commiseration. Const. for, with (a person), for, in, with, † rarely of (an event, experience, etc.).

1600.  S. Nicholson, Acolastus’ After-witte, D 2. The showres which daily from mine eyes are raining, Draw the dum creatures to a sympathie.

a. 1701.  Maundrell, Journ. Jerus. (1732), 34. A kind of Sympathy in the River, for the Death of Adonis.

1777.  S. J. Pratt, Emma Corbett (ed. 4), II. 107. I wanted to express my sympathy of your present misfortune.

1783.  Burke, Sp. Fox’s E. India Bill, Wks. 1808, IV. 20. To awaken something of sympathy for the unfortunate natives. Ibid. (1796), Corr. (1844), IV. 360. Your sympathy makes our ill-health a great deal more tolerable.

1807.  Southey, Espriella’s Lett. (1808), II. 323. They have … little sympathy for distresses which they have never felt.

1829.  Landor, Imag. Conv., Penn & Peterborough, II. 269. Joining in the amusements of others is … the next thing to sympathy in their distresses.

1850.  Tennyson, In Mem., lxxxv. 88. Canst thou feel for me Some painless sympathy with pain?

1872.  Kingsley, Lett. (1878), II. 381. Every expression of human sympathy brings some little comfort.

1893.  Academy, 30 Dec., 581/1. Sympathy with the bereaved parents and for the bride was … deeply felt.

  d.  In weakened sense: A favorable attitude of mind towards a party, cause, etc.; disposition to agree or approve. Const. with, rarely for, in.

1823.  Southey, Hist. Penins. War, I. 526. Their sympathy in the instinct and principle by which it was carried on.

1838.  Sir F. B. Head, Narrative, 9 Feb., xi. (1839), 384. American ‘sympathy’ for our absconded [Canadian] traitors was unbridled and unchecked.

1852.  Hawthorne, Blithedale Rom., ix. Priscilla’s silent sympathy with his purposes, so unalloyed with criticism.

1864.  Newman, Apol., i. (1904), 8/2. In his [sc. Whately’s] special theological tenets I had no sympathy.

1893.  Forbes-Mitchell, Remin. Gt. Mutiny, 293. He had no sympathy with the anti-opium party.