Pine away
verb phrase
To suffer greatly from longing or from grief, often to the point of becoming weak or ill.
After their breakup, he just seemed to pine away, losing interest in everything he once enjoyed.
Often appears as...
- pine away for somebody
- pine away with grief
Usage tips
Disapproving
verb phrase
To long deeply and persistently.
Stuck in his dull hometown, he pined away for the excitement of big city life.
Often appears as...
- pine away for adventures
- pine away for old days
Usage tips
Neutral
verb phrase
To suffer greatly from longing or from grief, often to the point of becoming weak or ill.
After their breakup, he just seemed to pine away, losing interest in everything he once enjoyed.
Often appears as...
- pine away for somebody
- pine away with grief
Usage tips
Disapproving
verb phrase
To long deeply and persistently.
Stuck in his dull hometown, he pined away for the excitement of big city life.
Often appears as...
- pine away for adventures
- pine away for old days
Usage tips
Neutral
Definition 1 of 2
Pro Tip 1/3Emotional Weight
Use 'pine away' to express deep, impactful emotion, suggesting a person may be greatly affected.
She pined away after her dog went missing, looking thinner and more distraught each day.
Pro Tip 2/3Health Decline
Pining away can imply physical deterioration linked to emotional distress.
Since his wife's death, he's been pining away, neglecting to care for himself.
Pro Tip 3/3Expressing Grief
'Pine away' is often used in the context of grieving, especially when someone feels overwhelming sorrow.
The whole family seemed to pine away during that endless winter of mourning.
Pro Tip 1/3Emotional Weight
Use 'pine away' to express deep, impactful emotion, suggesting a person may be greatly affected.
She pined away after her dog went missing, looking thinner and more distraught each day.
Pro Tip 2/3Health Decline
Pining away can imply physical deterioration linked to emotional distress.
Since his wife's death, he's been pining away, neglecting to care for himself.
Pro Tip 3/3Expressing Grief
'Pine away' is often used in the context of grieving, especially when someone feels overwhelming sorrow.
The whole family seemed to pine away during that endless winter of mourning.
Pro Tip 1/3Emotional Weight
Use 'pine away' to express deep, impactful emotion, suggesting a person may be greatly affected.
She pined away after her dog went missing, looking thinner and more distraught each day.
Pro Tip 2/3Health Decline
Pining away can imply physical deterioration linked to emotional distress.
Since his wife's death, he's been pining away, neglecting to care for himself.
Pro Tip 3/3Expressing Grief
'Pine away' is often used in the context of grieving, especially when someone feels overwhelming sorrow.
The whole family seemed to pine away during that endless winter of mourning.
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