- regret
- {{Roman}}I.{{/Roman}} nounADJECTIVE▪ big, bitter, deep, genuine, great, profound, real, sincere▪
Her biggest regret was that she had never had children.
▪She expressed deep regret at the incident.
… OF REGRET▪ pang, stab, tinge (esp. BrE), twinge (esp. AmE)VERB + REGRET▪ feel, have▪I have absolutely no regrets about resigning.
▪ express, show▪ send▪He sends his regrets about missing our 45th reunion.
PREPOSITION▪ to your regret▪To my regret, I lost touch with her years ago.
▪ with regret▪It is with deep regret that we announce the death of Mr Fred Fisher.
▪ without regret▪She thought of them without regret.
▪ regret about, regret over▪She showed no regret about leaving her country.
▪ regret at▪my sincere regret at what has happened
▪ regret for▪She enjoyed living alone, but felt a tiny pang of regret for her mother's cooking.
PHRASES▪ expression of regret▪The police offered no expression of regret at his wrongful arrest.
▪ a matter for regret (BrE), a matter of regret (esp. BrE)▪{{Roman}}II.{{/Roman}}I never learned to play an instrument and that's a matter of some regret. (BrE)
verbADVERB▪ bitterly, deeply, greatly, really, seriously, sincerely, truly, very much▪The president said that his country deeply regretted the incident.
▪ rather▪ immediately, instantly▪I immediately regretted not asking for his name and address.
▪ quickly, soon▪It was a decision she would soon regret.
▪ later▪Pierre told them some things he later regretted telling.
▪ neverVERB + REGRET▪ begin to▪ come to, grow to, live to▪She knew that she would live to regret this decision.
▪ seem toRegret is used with these nouns as the object: ↑choice, ↑decision, ↑error, ↑fact, ↑incident, ↑inconvenience, ↑indiscretion, ↑loss, ↑mistake, ↑word
Collocations dictionary. 2013.