The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Sympathy \Sym"pa*thy\, n.; pl. Sympathies. [F. sympathie, L.
   sympathia, Gr. ?; sy`n with + ? suffering, passion, fr. ?, ?,
   to suffer. See Syn-, and Pathos.]
   1. Feeling corresponding to that which another feels; the
      quality of being affected by the affection of another,
      with feelings correspondent in kind, if not in degree;
      fellow-feeling.
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            They saw, but other sight instead -- a crowd
            Of ugly serpents! Horror on them fell,
            And horrid sympathy.                  --Milton.
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   2. An agreement of affections or inclinations, or a
      conformity of natural temperament, which causes persons to
      be pleased, or in accord, with one another; as, there is
      perfect sympathy between them.
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   3. Kindness of feeling toward one who suffers; pity;
      commiseration; compassion.
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            I value myself upon sympathy, I hate and despise
            myself for envy.                      --Kames.
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   4. (Physiol. & Med.)
      (a) The reciprocal influence exercised by organs or parts
          on one another, as shown in the effects of a diseased
          condition of one part on another part or organ, as in
          the vomiting produced by a tumor of the brain.
      (b) The influence of a certain psychological state in one
          person in producing a like state in another.

   Note: In the original 1890 work, sense (b) was described as:
         "That relation which exists between different persons
         by which one of them produces in the others a state or
         condition like that of himself. This is shown in the
         tendency to yawn which a person often feels on seeing
         another yawn, or the strong inclination to become
         hysteric experienced by many women on seeing another
         person suffering with hysteria."
         [Webster 1913 Suppl. +PJC]

   5. A tendency of inanimate things to unite, or to act on each
      other; as, the sympathy between the loadstone and iron.
      [R.]
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   6. Similarity of function, use office, or the like.
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            The adverb has most sympathy with the verb. --Earle.
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   Syn: Pity; fellow-feeling; compassion; commiseration;
        tenderness; condolence; agreement.

   Usage: Sympathy, Commiseration. Sympathy is literally a
          fellow-feeling with others in their varied conditions
          of joy or of grief. This term, however, is now more
          commonly applied to a fellow-feeling with others under
          affliction, and then coincides very nearly with
          commiseration. In this case it is commonly followed by
          for; as, to feel sympathy for a friend when we see him
          distressed. The verb sympathize is followed by with;
          as, to sympathize with a friend in his distresses or
          enjoyments. "Every man would be a distinct species to
          himself, were there no sympathy among individuals."
          --South. See Pity.
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                Fault,
                Acknowledged and deplored, in Adam wrought
                Commiseration.                    --Milton.
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