English

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Etymology

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From tear +‎ -ful.

Pronunciation

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Adjective

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tearful (comparative more tearful, superlative most tearful)

  1. Accompanied by tears; crying, or about to cry.
    Aaron was a little tearful until Laura came to reassure him.
    • 1837, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], “The Remembrance of the Dead”, in Ethel Churchill: Or, The Two Brides. [], volume II, London: Henry Colburn, [], →OCLC, page 322:
      The week that was yet to elapse, she spent in wandering through her uncle's favourite walks in hours of tearful vigil, beside his tomb, and in collecting together every trifle on which he had set a value.
  2. Sorrowful.
    Synonym: lachrymose

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