• Sad

    Pronunciation

    • IPA: /sæd/
    • Rhymes: -æd

    Origin

    From Middle English sad, from Old English sæd ("sated with, weary of, satiated, filled, full"), from Proto-Germanic *sadaz ("sated, satisfied"), from Proto-Indo-European *seh₂- ("to satiate, satisfy"). Cognate with West Frisian sêd, Dutch zat ("sated, drunk"), German satt ("well-fed, full"), Danish sat, Norwegian sad, Gothic 𐍃𐌰𐌸𐍃 (saþs, "full, satisfied"), and through Indo-European, with Latin satur ("well-fed, sated"). Related to sate.

    Full definition of sad

    Adjective

    sad

    1. (obsolete) Sated, having had one's fill; satisfied, weary.
    2. (obsolete) Steadfast, valiant.
    3. (obsolete) Dignified, serious, grave.
      • Spenser Faerie Queene, II.xi:Vprose Sir Guyon, in bright armour clad,
        And to his purposd iourney him prepar'd:
        With him the Palmer eke in habit sad,
        Him selfe addrest to that aduenture hard ...
      • Francis Baconripe and sad courage
      • Ld. Bernerswhich treaty was wisely handled by sad and discrete counsel of both parties
    4. (obsolete) Naughty; troublesome; wicked.
      • I. TaylorSad tipsy fellows, both of them.
    5. Of colours: dark, deep; later, sombre, dull.
      • 1646, Thomas Browne, Pseudodoxia Epidemica, II.5:this is either used crude, and called Sulphur Vive, and is of a sadder colour; or after depuration, such as we have in magdeleons of rolls, of a lighter yellow.
      • Waltonsad-coloured clothes
      • MortimerWoad, or wade, is used by the dyers to lay the foundation of all sad colours.
    6. Feeling sorrow; sorrowful, mournful.
      She gets sad when he's away.
      • ShakespeareFirst were we sad, fearing you would not come;
        Now sadder, that you come so unprovided.
      • MiltonThe angelic guards ascended, mute and sad.
    7. Appearing sorrowful.
      The puppy had a sad little face.
    8. Causing sorrow; lamentable.
      • The Great Gaels of Ireland are the men that God made mad,
      • G. K. ChestertonFor, all their wars are merry and all their songs are sad.
      • 1963, Margery Allingham, The China Governess Chapter 20, The story struck the depressingly familiar note with which true stories ring in the tried ears of experienced policemen. No one queried it. It was in the classic pattern of human weakness, mean and embarrassing and sad.
    9. It's a sad fact that most rapes go unreported.
    10. Poor in quality, bad; shameful, deplorable; later, regrettable, poor.
      • 1819, Lord Byron, Don Juan, II.127:Heaven knows what cash he got, or blood he spilt,
        A sad old fellow was he, if you please ....
    11. That's the saddest-looking pickup truck I've ever seen.
    12. (slang) Unfashionable; socially inadequate or undesirable.
      I can't believe you use drugs; you're so sad!
    13. (dialect) Soggy (to refer to pastries).
    14. (obsolete) Heavy; weighty; ponderous; close; hard.sad bread
      • Spenserhis hand, more sad than lump of lead
      • MortimerChalky lands are naturally cold and sad.

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