re‧gret 1 W3 / rɪɡret / 动词 ( past tense and past participle regretted , present participle regretting ) [及物动词]

1 to feel sorry about something you have done and wish you had not done it :

Don’t do anything you might regret.

regret doing something

I regret leaving school so young.

regret (that)

He was beginning to regret that he’d come along.

2 [不用于进行时] formal used in official letters or statements when saying that you are sorry or sad about something :

We regret any inconvenience caused to our customers.

regret (that)

I regret that I will be unable to attend.

regret to say/inform/tell

I regret to inform you that your contract will not be renewed.

COLLOCATIONS

副词

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.

短语

live to regret something (= regret it in the future ) If you don’t go, you may live to regret it.