Woe

Woe
Woe Woe, n. [OE. wo, wa, woo, AS. w[=a], interj.; akin to D. wee, OS. & OHG. w[=e], G. weh, Icel. vei, Dan. vee, Sw. ve, Goth. wai; cf. L. vae, Gr. ?. [root]128. Cf. {Wail}.] [Formerly written also {wo}.] [1913 Webster] 1. Grief; sorrow; misery; heavy calamity. [1913 Webster]

Thus saying, from her side the fatal key, Sad instrument of all our woe, she took. --Milton. [1913 Webster]

[They] weep each other's woe. --Pope. [1913 Webster]

2. A curse; a malediction. [1913 Webster]

Can there be a woe or curse in all the stores of vengeance equal to the malignity of such a practice? --South. [1913 Webster]

Note: Woe is used in denunciation, and in exclamations of sorrow. `` Woe is me! for I am undone.'' --Isa. vi. 5. [1913 Webster]

O! woe were us alive [i.e., in life]. --Chaucer. [1913 Webster]

Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker! --Isa. xlv. 9. [1913 Webster]

{Woe worth}, Woe be to. See {Worth}, v. i. [1913 Webster]

Woe worth the chase, woe worth the day, That costs thy life, my gallant gray! --Sir W. Scott. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • Woe, Is Me — Woe, Is Me …   Wikipedia

  • woe is me — (archaic) 1. Unhappy that I am! 2. Cursed am I • • • Main Entry: ↑woe * * * woe is me humorous phrase used for emphasizing that you are unhappy or have a problem Thesaurus: ways of saying you are sorry or regret something …   Useful english dictionary

  • woe — woe·be·gone; woe·be·gone·ness; woe·ful; woe·ful·ly; woe·ful·ness; woe; …   English syllables

  • Woe — Woe, a. Woeful; sorrowful. [Obs.] [1913 Webster] His clerk was woe to do that deed. Robert of Brunne. [1913 Webster] Woe was this knight and sorrowfully he sighed. Chaucer. [1913 Webster] And looking up he waxed wondrous woe. Spenser. [1913… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • woe — [ wou ] noun 1. ) woes plural FORMAL problems and worries: economic/financial/political woes to add to someone s woes: To add to their woes, farmers are expecting a wet summer. 2. ) uncount LITERARY a strong feeling of sadness: tales of great woe …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • woe — ► NOUN literary 1) great sorrow or distress. 2) (woes) troubles. ● woe betide someone Cf. ↑woe betide someone ● woe is me! Cf. ↑woe is me! …   English terms dictionary

  • woe to — (or woe betide) old fashioned used as a warning that there will be trouble if someone does something specified Woe betide anyone who enters here! [=anyone who enters here will be harmed] Woe to any student who is late for her class. [=any student …   Useful english dictionary

  • Woe — may refer to:*Sadness or suffering *Woe, Ghana, a town in Ghana s Volta region *Woe (song), by the band Say Anything *War of Emperium, a guild war in the MMORPG Ragnarok Online *Woe, a raiding guild in the MMORPG World of Warcraft * Wings Over… …   Wikipedia

  • woe — [wəu US wou] n [: Old English; Origin: wa] 1.) woes [plural] formal the problems and troubles affecting someone ▪ the country s economic woes 2.) [U] literary great sadness 3.) woe is me …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • Woe, Is Me — Datos generales Origen Atlanta, Georgia …   Wikipedia Español

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