- rue (v.)
- "feel regret," O.E. hreowan "make sorry, grieve" (class II strong verb; past tense hreaw, pp. hrowen), from P.Gmc. *khrewanan (cf. O.Fris. riowa, M.Du. rouwen, O.D. hrewan, Ger. rewen); in part, blended with O.E. weak v. hreowian "feel pain or sorrow," and perhaps influenced by O.N. hryggja "make sad," both from P.Gmc. *khruwjanan, from the same root. The noun meaning "sorrow, repentance" is from O.E. hreow, from the verb.
- rue (n.)
- "perennial evergreen shrub," 1382, from O.Fr. rue, earlier rude, from L. ruta "rue," probably from Gk. rhyte, of uncertain etymology, originally a Peloponnesian word. The bitter taste of its leaves led to many punning allusions to the noun form of rue (v.).