wear sackcloth and ashes

English

Etymology

From the Bible Book of Esther 4:1 "When Mordecai learned of all that had been done, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the city, wailing loudly and bitterly".

Verb

wear sackcloth and ashes (third-person singular simple present wears sackcloth and ashes, present participle wearing sackcloth and ashes, simple past wore sackcloth and ashes, past participle worn sackcloth and ashes)

1. (idiomatic) To publicly express regret for something done wrong.

Translations

to publicly express regret for something done wrong

• Danish: klæde sig i sæk og aske
• Finnish: pukeutua säkkiin ja tuhkaan
• Irish: caith sacéadach agus luaithreach
• Italian: cospargersi il capo di cenere
• Polish: posypać sobie głowę popiołem (pl)
• Russian: посыпа́ть го́лову пе́плом (ru) impf (posypátʹ gólovu péplom)

See also

• eat crow
• beat one's breast

Further reading

• “sackcloth and ashes”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.
• “sackcloth and ashes”, in Collins English Dictionary.
• “wear sackcloth and ashes”, in Cambridge English Dictionary, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: Cambridge University Press, 1999–present.
• “wear sackcloth and ashes”, in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1996–present.