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Dictionary

Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

alack en · INTJ

Pronunciation

  • (Southern-England) audio
  • /əˈlæk/

Etymology

From Middle English alacke, alagge, probably from ah + lack.

Meanings

  1. An expression of sorrow or mourning.
    • On a day, alack the day: / Loue, whoſe Month is euery May, / Spied a bloſſome paſſing faire, / Playing in the wanton ayre: c. 1595–1596 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Loues Labour’s Lost”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene iii], page 133:
    • Alack, would that Edward listened more to me and less to the queen’s kith! These Woodvilles! 1843, Edward Bulwer[-]Lytton, The Last of the Barons, London; New York, N.Y.: George Routledge and Sons […], →OCLC:

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
'lack alternative lexicographic
alacke alternative lexicographic

Deriveds

alas and alack · alack and alas

Synonyms

alas · alackaday

Translations (12)

ru увы́ (expression of sorrow) · cmn 嗚呼 /呜呼 (expression of sorrow) · pt ai (expression of sorrow) · de ach (expression of sorrow) · kn ಅಯ್ಯೋ (expression of sorrow) · fr hélas (expression of sorrow) · de O weh (expression of sorrow) · pt guai (expression of sorrow) · fi voi (expression of sorrow) · cmn 哀哉 (expression of sorrow) · it ahimè (expression of sorrow) · es ay (expression of sorrow)