regret

I UK [rɪˈɡret] / US verb [transitive]
Word forms "regret":
present tense I/you/we/they regret he/she/it regrets present participle regretting past tense regretted past participle regretted
**

a) to feel sorry or sad that something has happened

We regret any inconvenience caused by the delay.

regret (that):

I regret that I will not be with you on such an important occasion.

b) to feel sorry or sad about something that you have said or done

Have you never done anything you regret?

I'm glad you're coming with us. You won't regret it.

regret doing something:

I don't regret moving to York.

live to regret something (= regret it later):

This is one decision you'll live to regret.

deeply regret:

I deeply regret what happened – there is no excuse for it.

•

I/we regret to inform/tell you that — formal used when you are giving someone bad news

I regret to inform you that you have not been selected for interview.

II UK [rɪˈɡret] / US noun [countable/uncountable]
Word forms "regret":
singular regret plural regrets
*

a) a feeling of sadness about something that has happened

with great/deep regret:

It is with deep regret that we have to report the deaths of five soldiers.

express regret:

The doctor expressed regret over his inability to do more for my father.

b) a feeling of sadness about something that you wish you had not said or done

His face showed no sign of regret for what he had done.

have no regrets:

I have no regrets about leaving the army.

only/biggest regret:

Tom's biggest regret was not being there when his mother died.

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Collocations:
Adverbs frequently used with regret
▪  bitterly, deeply, genuinely, greatly, very much

give/send (someone) your regrets — formal used as a polite way of refusing an invitation

Please give your parents our regrets that we cannot be there.