woe is me en · INTJ
Pronunciation
- /ˌwəʊ ɪz ˈmiː/ (UK)
- /ˌwoʊ ɪz ˈmi/ (US)
- (US) audio
Etymology
The pronoun me in this expression is not semantically vacuous beyond its reference to the first person singular (and thus simply equated with the subject by copular be, as in this is me), but a relational dative (literally woe is to me, i.e. woe is upon me; compare German weh mir). Cognate with Yiddish וויי איז מיר (vey iz mir).
Meanings
-
(humorous, sometimes) Used to show that the speaker feels distress or misery; humorous use usually also signals self-awareness regarding excessive self-pity.
Woe is me, that I soiourne in Mesech: that I dwell in the tents of Kedar.
1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Psalms 120:5:“Ah, woe is me! Alas, for my kingdom and my kinfolk!”
1961, Norma Lorre Goodrich, “Beowulf”, in The Medieval Myths, New York: The New American Library, page 34:Blasted with extasie. Oh, woe is me, T'haue seene what I haue seene: see what I see.
c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene i], page 266, column 1:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| woe is I | alternative | lexicographic |
Antonyms
Hyponyms
Relateds
Synonyms
ah me · what a shame · hey ho · alackaday · oh dear · woe is me · alas · pity · too bad · alack · shame · what a pity · oh well
Translations (43)
fi voi minua (interjection) · hu jaj nekem (interjection) · sv stackars mig! (interjection) · non vei mér (interjection) · pl biada mi (interjection) · rsk чежко мнє (interjection) · ro vai de mine (interjection) · da ve mig (interjection) · yi אַ קלאָג איז מיר (interjection) · da stakkels mig (interjection) · fa وای من (interjection) · nl wee mij (interjection) · es ay me (interjection) · yi וויי איז צו מיר (interjection) · fr pauvre de moi (interjection) · kw go vy (interjection) · pt ai de mim (interjection) · tl sa aba ko (interjection) · de wehe mir (interjection) · lad guay de mí (interjection) · ga abhó (interjection) · yi ווינד איז מיר (interjection) · eo ve al mi (interjection) · ro vai mie (interjection) · gv voirrey s'treih (interjection) · rsk яй мнє (interjection) · cmn 哀哉 (interjection) · it ahimè (interjection) · gd a thruaighe (interjection) · yi אַ בראָך איז מיר (interjection) · de weh mir (interjection) · he אוֹי לִי (interjection) · gd mo thruaighe (interjection) · el οίμοι (interjection) · nb stakkars meg (interjection) · ru го́ре мне (interjection) · la mē miserum (interjection) · es aymé (interjection) · es pobre de mí (interjection) · grc οἴμοι (interjection) · es ay de mí (interjection) · yi וויי איז מיר (interjection) · mi koae (interjection)