alas
interjection (alas)
Everyday
- (old-fashioned or literary) A word that shows sadness, sorrow or regret: «Alas, it was too late.» tree →
- (humorous) Used today in a joking way for small disappointments. tree →
In the lessons
Found in old stories, poems and fairy tales: «Alas! The prince was gone.» In The Wind in the Willows and Alice the word fits the grand, old-style storytelling voice. In modern writing it is often slightly funny: «Alas, the cake was all eaten.» It tells the reader something sad or disappointing has happened.
Examples
- Alas, the ship sank before it reached the shore. tree →
- «Alas! I shall be too late!» cried the White Rabbit. tree →
- I wanted to go to the beach, but alas, it rained all day. tree →
- Alas, poor Toad was locked in the deepest dungeon. tree →
- Alas, there was no chocolate left in the box. tree →
- The knight looked for the dragon, but alas, it had flown away. tree →
- Alas, a great deal too near! tree →
Note
Usually at the start of a sentence, followed by a comma. Mostly in writing, rarely in everyday chat (except for a joke). Not a sound word like «ah»; it means sorrow.
In Jewish tradition
An old cry of sorrow. Balaam says it in his last prophecy about who will survive.
Interpretation. Commentators read Balaam's "Alas" as a lament about the troubles that will come on the world before the end of days.
Examples
- And he took up his parable, and said: Alas, who shall live after God hath appointed him? (Torah NUM.24.23, JPS 1917) tree →
- And his servant said unto him: 'Alas, my master! how shall we do?' (Prophets 2KI.6.15, JPS 1917) tree →
- And he laid his carcass in his own grave; and they made lamentation for him: 'Alas, my brother!' (Prophets 1KI.13.30, JPS 1917) tree →
- Who crieth: 'Woe'? who: 'Alas'? who hath contentions? who hath raving? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes? (Writings PRO.23.29, JPS 1917) tree →
Note
Usually at the start of a sentence, followed by a comma. Mostly in writing, rarely in everyday chat (except for a joke). Not a sound word like «ah»; it means sorrow.
On Mova
- Trees and pragmatics of «alas» in the school dictionary: every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- «alas» in the school dictionary on Mova free.
- Trees and pragmatics of «alas» in the Judaism dictionary: every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- «alas» in the Judaism dictionary on Mova free.
This page in Markdown → https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/alas/