Chapter Sorance to Sorry of S by Webster's Dictionary (1913 Edition)

Sorry
(Sor"ry) a. [Compar. Sorrier ; superl. Sorriest.] [OE. sory, sary, AS. sarig, fr. sar, n., sore. See Sore, n. & a. The original sense was, painful; hence, miserable, sad.]

1. Grieved for the loss of some good; pained for some evil; feeling regret; — now generally used to express light grief or affliction, but formerly often used to express deeper feeling. "I am sorry for my sins." Piers Plowman.

Ye were made sorry after a godly manner.

2 Cor. vii. 9.

I am sorry for thee, friend; 't is the duke's pleasure.

Shak.

She entered, were he lief or sorry.

Spenser.

2. Melancholy; dismal; gloomy; mournful. Spenser.

All full of chirking was this sorry place.

Chaucer.

3. Poor; mean; worthless; as, a sorry excuse. "With sorry grace." Chaucer.

Cheeks of sorry grain will serve.

Milton.

Good fruit will sometimes grow on a sorry tree.

Sir W. Scott.

Syn. — Hurt; afflicted; mortified; vexed; chagrined; melancholy; dismal; poor; mean; pitiful.