alack

English

Alternative forms

• alacke (obsolete)
• 'lack (contraction)

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /əˈlæk/
• Rhymes: -æk

Interjection

alack

1. An expression of sorrow or mourning.
   • 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:

     On a day, alack the day: / Loue, whoſe Month is euery May, / Spied a bloſſome paſſing faire, / Playing in the wanton ayre:

   • 1843, Edward Bulwer[-]Lytton, The Last of the Barons, London; New York, N.Y.: George Routledge and Sons […], →OCLC:

     Alack, would that Edward listened more to me and less to the queen’s kith! These Woodvilles!

Synonyms

• alackaday
• alas

Derived terms

• alack and alas
• alas and alack

Translations

expression of sorrow

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 嗚呼 / 呜呼 (zh) (wūhū), 哀哉 (zh) (āi zāi)

• Finnish: voi (fi)
• French: hélas (fr)
• German: O weh, ach (de)
• Kannada: ಅಯ್ಯೋ (ayyō)
• Portuguese: ai (pt), guai (pt)
• Russian: увы́ (ru) (uvý)
• Spanish: ay (es)