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First published 1983 (DOST Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Pité, -ie, n. Also: pyt-, pitt-, pytt- and -y(e, -ee, -iee; piité. [ME. and e.m.E. pité (a 1225), pyté (Manning), pitee (Chaucer), pity (1529), pity, also (1340–1483) piety, OF. pitet (11th c.), pitez, pité, pitie (12th c.), L. pietās, whence also OF. pieté Pieté n. Cf. also Pete n.On the various OF. derivatives of L. pietās, see the OED. etymology of pity.]

Pity, in the usual senses. = Peté n., Pieté n.There is some ambiguity between senses 1 and 2.

1. The quality of pity; the disposition to mercy or compassion; clemency, mercy, mildness.Also in fig. context.(a) a1400 Leg. S. xxxii. 514.
God … Of his pyte reutht of hym hade Ib. xviii. 975. c1420 Wynt. viii. 2433.
Goddis gret pyte [L. piete] Ib. v. 864. 1456 Hay II. 28/6.
The ordre is founded apon lautee, curtaisy, liberalitee, lufe, and pitee a1500 Henr. III. 171/55. 1517 Treas. Acc. V. 128.
To Symon Cunyingham … be compositioun for his auld restis, of pyte, xx li. 1530 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 41.
For pite thai war nocht pvnist efter the forme of the saidis statutis 1564 St. A. Kirk S. 222.
Robert … movit of pite toward his wyf … remitted hyr [etc.](b) c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 1076.
Pytte 1611-57 Mure Early Misc. P. xi. 57.
Such ane heavinly face Can not bot giwe pitty placefig. c1590 Fowler I. 180/5.
Anonder pittyeis schade schee dois desplay The fulnes of her rigour

2. A feeling or onset of pity, compassion or sympathy (for, of (also on, apon) another person or his condition, also of a community).(1) 1375 Barb. i. 481.
Bot quhat pite that euir he had, Na contenance thar-off he maid a1400 Leg. S. xx. 185.
He gert his knychtis but pyte … Hang hyme wele he one a tre 1456 Hay I. 272/13. 1598 Crim. Trials II. 70.
Quhilk man-chyld they but pitie or compassioune kaist furth of the said hous to the mydding(2) 1375 Barb. ix. 449.
He … had of thame pite ?1438 Alex. i. 3239.
Heir of his dede I haue pitie c1420 Wynt. v. 4634.
In hart set he was movyd then For pyte off the Crystyne men 1456 Hay II. 54/1.
A knycht suld have … pitee of all pore folk [etc.] c1475 Wall. ix. 944.
Wallace tharoff in hart had gret pyte a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 1173 (Asl.).
O hart of man … Has thow na pite of thi perdicioun 1549 Compl. 72/20.
Quhy vil ȝe nocht haue misericord & pytie of ȝour natiue cuntre 1598 James VI Basil. Doron 147/10.
For pittie of the poore then robbe not the riche — 1489 Lennox Mun. 130.
That it will ples our souerane lord and … barownis … to haue piite apone himself his brothir and puyr realme [etc.](b) 1375 Barb. i. 480.
Pitte c1590 Fowler I. 83/159.
If that for pittie of hir death the earth was washt with teares [etc.] — 1686 G. Stuart Joco-Ser. Disc. 30.
Sa take some pitty on your leuve(c) c1450-2 Howlat 880 (B).
Pitiee

b. As an interjection, or in exclamatory phrases. — c1610 Jok Uplandis Newis 9 b.
O pittie pittie poore soules they are undoen 1662 Crim. Trials III. 613. — c1610 Jok Uplandis Newis 1 b.
Allace for pittie c1650 Spalding I. 315.
Pitie to behold

c. Have pité (to do something or of an action), to feel remorse or compunction (cf. Peté n. b (3), also e.m.E. pyte, in this sense (Caxton)). Appar., usu. in negative constructions. — 1375 Barb. iv. 25.
It wes fer wer than tratoury For to betreys sic a persoune … Bot thar off had he na pite 1456 Hay I. 68/27.
A soverane the quhilk suld have na pitee to do law and resoun, and to justify euery man efter his desertis

3. transf. A ground or cause for pity, also for regret.(It, that, etc., also clause or infin. subj.) is (ane, a) (gret) pite, (gret) pite was, it is (was, etc.) … pitiful or sad; it is regrettable.Also to think (something) pite.Const. infin. verb or clause compl., also without compl.(1) 1375 Barb. xviii. 177.
And that wes syn and gret pite ?1438 Alex. ii. 41.
For thair he deit, and that was pitie c 1570 Facs. Nat. MSS. III. lxvi.
I fear that eild … sal deliure hym sone a scabie poetica, quhylk war ane great pitye a1578 Pitsc. II. 295/2.
Johne Knox … depairted of this presentt lyff, quhilk was ane gret los and pitie to all thame that favourit Chrystis word(2) 1375 Barb. xvii. 528.
Thai forrayit the cuntre That it wes pite for to se 1456 Hay I. 55/35.
That all maid sik sorow, man and womman, that pitee was to see c1475 Wall. i. 107.
Full gret slauchtyr, at pitte was to se, Off trew Scottis 1535 Stewart 61111.
Tha bludie bouchouris … branit him that pitie wes till se — c1590 Fowler II. 47/12.
It is a grit pitie Hammiltoun thou want a pulpet(3) 1375 Barb. v. 173.
That he suld de war gret pite c1460 Alex. (Taym.) (ed.) 3575.
To here his wordis than gret pitie was(4) c1475 Wall. i. 182.
Willȝham Wallace … Gret pitte thocht that Scotland tuk sic harmys

4. Piety. = Pieté n. 4. Cf. Peté n. d.a. Godliness. b. Dutifulness.(1) c1520-c1535 Nisbet 2 Peter i. 3.
How all thingis of his godlie virtue, that ar to lijf and pitee [L. pietatem, P. pitee, Rheims Bible (1582) godliness] — 1596 Dalr. II. 16/14.
Bot … he had leuir be accuiset of pitie toward his barnes … O singular pietie! he had leuir see his deir sones hing … or any way … unfaythfull he war fund to his natiue cuntrie(2) 1579 Reg. Privy S. VII. 439/2.
Of Our Lady pitie alter