Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary - sorrow

 I. noun  Etymology: Middle English sorow, from Old English sorg; akin to Old High German sorga ~  Date: before 12th century  1.  a. deep distress, sadness, or regret especially for the loss of someone or something loved  b. resultant unhappy or unpleasant state to their great ~ they could not marry  2. a cause of grief or sadness  3. a display of grief or sadness Synonyms:  ~, grief, anguish, woe, regret mean distress of mind. ~ implies a sense of loss or a sense of guilt and remorse a family united in ~ upon the patriarch's death. grief implies poignant ~ for an immediate cause the inexpressible grief of the bereaved parents. anguish suggests torturing grief or dread the anguish felt by the parents of the kidnapped child. woe is deep or inconsolable grief or misery cries of woe echoed throughout the bombed city. regret implies pain caused by deep disappointment, fruitless longing, or unavailing remorse nagging regret for missed opportunities.  II. intransitive verb  Date: before 12th century to feel or express ~  • ~er noun