rue Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun European strong-scented perennial herb with grey-green bitter-tasting leaves; an irritant similar to poison ivy
    herb of grace; Ruta graveolens.
  2. noun leaves sometimes used for flavoring fruit or claret cup but should be used with great caution: can cause irritation like poison ivy
  3. noun sadness associated with some wrong done or some disappointment
    sorrow; ruefulness; regret.
    • he drank to drown his sorrows
    • he wrote a note expressing his regret
    • to his rue, the error cost him the game
  4. noun (French) a street or road in France
  5. verb feel remorse for; feel sorry for; be contrite about
    regret; repent.

WordNet

Rue noun
Etymology
F. rue, L. ruta, akin to Gr. cf. AS. rde.
Definitions
  1. (Bot.) A perennial suffrutescent plant (Ruta graveolens), having a strong, heavy odor and a bitter taste; herb of grace. It is used in medicine.
    Then purged with euphrasy and rue The visual nerve, for he had much to see. Milton.
    They [the exorcists] are to try the devil by holy water, incense, sulphur, rue, which from thence, as we suppose, came to be called herb of grace. Jer. Taylor.
  2. Fig.: Bitterness; disappointment; grief; regret.
Rue transitive verb
Etymology
OE. rewen, reouwen, to grive, make sorry, AS. hreówan; akin to OS. hrewan, D. rouwen, OHG. hriuwan, G. reun, Icel. hruggr grieved, hrug&edh; sorrow. &root; 18. Cf. Ruth.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Rued ; present participle & verbal noun Ruing
Definitions
  1. To lament; to regret extremely; to grieve for or over. Chaucer.
    I wept to see, and rued it from my heart. Chapmen.
    Thy will Chose freely what it now so justly rues. Milton.
  2. To cause to grieve; to afflict. Obs. "God wot, it rueth me." Chaucer.
  3. To repent of, and withdraw from, as a bargain; to get released from. Prov. Eng.
Rue intransitive verb
Definitions
  1. To have compassion. Obs.
    God so wisly [i. e., truly] on my soul rue. Chaucer.
    Which stirred men's hearts to rue upon them. Ridley.
  2. To feel sorrow and regret; to repent.
    Work by counsel and thou shalt not rue. Chaucer.
    Old year, we'll dearly rue for you. Tennyson.
Rue noun
Etymology
AS. hreów. See Rue, v. t.
Definitions
  1. Sorrow; repetance. Obs. Shak.

Webster 1913