dear soul

[sunjuvo]

What do you mean when you call someone 'dear soul'?

Example: He wrote a letter to his mother, "It is sweet to me to think of Jane with your sweet motherly arms around her. The dear soul gets these fits of depression, and then her remorse is terrible and she writes, poor soul, as if she had done some awful thing."

And 'poor soul'?

Thank you.

 

[RonBee]

The phrase "dear soul" is, I am quite sure, a term of affection. (There is a movie titled "Terms of Endearment" which I recommend. "Endearment" is the same as affection.) It's hard to be more specific that that.

The phrase "poor soul" is a phrase expressing sympathy.

 

[sunjuvo]

Thank you.

 

[RonBee]

You're welcome.

 

[Casiopea]

What do you mean when you call someone 'dear soul'?

Example: He wrote a letter to his mother, "It is sweet to me to think of Jane with your sweet motherly arms around her. The dear soul gets these fits of depression, and then her remorse is terrible and she writes, poor soul, as if she had done some awful thing."

And 'poor soul'?

Thank you.

What Ronbee nicely provided, plus:

The noun 'soul' is a synonym for "person, individual" (every living soul) it dates from c.1000.

The adjective 'dear' means, beloved, much esteemed.

dear soul = beloved person


The adjective 'poor' means, deserving pity or sympathy.

poor soul = a person who deserves pity or sympathy.