poor
deserving or inciting pity
How often you will meet it
Rank 211 of 71,295 words measured. It occurs 108,558 times across 175,112 chapters — 0.052% of every word in the library.
It belongs to the first 500 words, the band worth learning before any other.
What it means
adjective
- deserving or inciting pity also: hapless, miserable, misfortunate, pathetic, piteous, pitiable a hapless victimmiserable victims of war
- having little money or few possessions deplored the gap between rich and poor countriesthe proverbial poor artist living in a garret
- characterized by or indicating poverty the country had a poor economythey lived in the poor section of town
- lacking in quality or substances a poor landthe area was poor in timber and coal
- of insufficient quantity to meet a need also: inadequate, short, jejune an inadequate incomea poor salary
noun
- people without possessions or wealth (considered as a group) also: poor people the urban poor need assistance
poor in real books
Each sentence below was written by a published author and is taken from a different book in our library. Open one to read the passage it came from, with narration.
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Poor little new-born beast, I'll guard from harm.
The White Christmas and other Merry · Walter Ben Hare · Chapter 1
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And when they do come to be married, poor lambs!
Christian's Mistake · Dinah Maria Mulock Craik · Chapter 1
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When poor Southwark got into the divorce court, their indignation was quite magnificent.
The Picture of Dorian Gray · Oscar Wilde · Chapter 1
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Poor Xury, almost dead with fear, entreated me not to go on shore that night.
The Life and Most Surprising Adventures · Daniel Defoe · Chapter 1
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Your letter was indeed a great trouble, and some comfort, to me and your poor mother.
Pamela, or Virtue Rewarded · Samuel Richardson · Chapter 1