Meanings
interjection
alternative alacke · alternative 'lack
- An expression of sorrow or mourning.
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 […], →OCLC1 more example
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
Synonyms & antonyms
Origin
- Middle Englishalacke
- Englishalack
From Middle English alacke, alagge, probably from ah + lack.
More words from Middle English
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Chinese Mandarin 嗚呼 /呜呼, 哀哉
- 嗚呼 /呜呼 (wūhū)expression of sorrow
- 哀哉 (āi zāi)expression of sorrow
Finnish voi
- voiexpression of sorrow
French hélas
- hélasexpression of sorrow
German O weh, ach
- O wehexpression of sorrow
- achexpression of sorrow
Italian ahimè
- ahimèexpression of sorrow
Portuguese ai, guai
- aiexpression of sorrow
- guaiexpression of sorrow
Russian увы́
- увы́ (uvý)expression of sorrow
Spanish ay
- ayexpression of sorrow
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with alack
backtrackfaqIraqpackattacklackstackpacCadillacSlovakjacquesplaquesnacksacmacktaclacshacktackMachslackfacsmack
All rhymes →Cite this entry
APA
alack. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/alack
MLA
“alack.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/alack. Accessed November 2, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “alack,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/alack.
Source: alack on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.