Definition of "compassionate"

As a compassionate Turcoyse which doth tellBy looking pale, the wearer is not well,

1611, John Donne, An Anatomy of the World‎, London: Samuel Macham

[…] there never was any heart truly great and generous, that was not also tender, and compassionate.

1675, Robert South, A Sermon preached at Christ-Church, in Twelve Sermons Preached upon Several Occasions, London: Thomas Bennett, 1692, p. 574

He was by nature so exceedingly compassionate of anyone who seemed to be ill at ease […] that he shook hands with Mr. Micawber, at least half-a-dozen times in five minutes.

1849 May – 1850 November, Charles Dickens, chapter 49, in The Personal History of David Copperfield, London: Bradbury & Evans, […], published 1850, page 502

[…] the compassionate pangs I felt for soon-to-be redundant workers were not overwhelming in their frequency; our job required a degree of commitment that left one with rather limited time for such distractions.

2007, Mohsin Hamid, chapter 7, in The Reluctant Fundamentalist‎, Orlando: Harcourt, page 99

It boots thee not to be compassionate:After our sentence plaining comes too late.

1595 December 9 (first known performance), William Shakespeare, “The life and death of King Richard the Second”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act I, scene 3]

[…] seeing them die so wofully in the flames, he compassionated them.

1602, G. Bishop et al., chapter 6, in Thomas Lodge, transl., The Famous and Memorable Workes of Josephus‎, London, page 733

The Justice which Mr. Allworthy had executed on Partridge, at first met with universal Approbation; but no sooner had he felt its Consequences, than his Neighbours began to relent, and to compassionate his Case;

1749, Henry Fielding, chapter 6, in The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, volumes (please specify |volume=I to VI), London: A[ndrew] Millar, […], book 2, page 83

And yet I could not help bitterly compassionating the honest fellow, brought to the gallows, as he was, strictly speaking, by the machinations of that devil incarnate, Mr. Tyrrel.

1794, William Godwin, chapter 1, in Things as They Are; or, The Adventures of Caleb Williams‎, volume 2, London: B. Crosby, page 4

“ […] if she were a nice, pretty child, one might compassionate her forlornness; but one really cannot care for such a little toad as that.”

1847 October 16, Currer Bell [pseudonym; Charlotte Brontë], chapter III, in Jane Eyre. An Autobiography. […], volume I, London: Smith, Elder, and Co., […], page 38

Helen laughed at these sentimental remarks, and wondered that Madame herself did not compassionate her lodger, and console him

1848 November – 1850 December, William Makepeace Thackeray, chapter 16, in The History of Pendennis. […], volumes (please specify |volume=I or II), London: Bradbury and Evans, […], published 1849–1850

I explained the circumstances of the past two days, which had driven me to the woods, and he deeply compassionated my distress.

1855, Frederick Douglass, chapter 17, in My Bondage and My Freedom. […], New York, Auburn, N.Y.: Miller, Orton & Mulligan […], part I (Life as a Slave), page 236