1
general::
regret
adverbs
deeply/greatly
• I deeply regretted what had happened.
bitterly
(= with a feeling of great sadness )
• I bitterly regretted my decision to leave.
sincerely
• The airline sincerely regrets any delays to passengers.
very much
• We very much regret that there will be job losses.
instantly/immediately
• ‘No,’ she blurted out, instantly regretting her response.
phrases
live to regret something
(= regret it in the future )
• If you don’t go, you may live to regret it.
regret 2
adjectives
great/deep regret
• I accepted his resignation with great regret.
bitter regret
(= when you feel sad and angry )
• To the bitter regret of his party, he refused to call an election.
sb’s biggest regret
• Her biggest regret was not having children.
sb’s only regret
• My only regret is that my parents did not live to see this day.
verbs
have regrets
• I have absolutely no regrets.
express regret
• The President expressed his regret at the deaths.
phrases
a pang/twinge/stab of regret
literary (= a sudden short feeling of regret )
• Kate watched her go with a pang of regret.
transnet.ir
2
general::
noun ADJ. 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. QUANT. pang, stab, tinge, twinge VERB + REGRET feel, have I have absolutely no regrets about resigning. | express, show PREP. to your ~ To my regret, I lost touch with her years ago. | with ~ It is with deep regret that we announce the death of Mr Fred Fisher. | without ~ She thought of them without regret. | ~ about/over She showed no regret about leaving her country. | ~ at my sincere regret at what has happened | ~ 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/of regret I never learned to play an instrument and that's a matter of some regret., verb ADV. bitterly, deeply, greatly, really, 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. | later Pierre told them some things he later regretted telling. | never VERB + REGRET begin to | come to, live to She knew that she would live to regret this decision.
Oxford Collocations Dictionary