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wear sackcloth and ashes. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
wear sackcloth and ashes, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
wear sackcloth and ashes in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
wear sackcloth and ashes you have here. The definition of the word
wear sackcloth and ashes will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
wear sackcloth and ashes, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
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)
- (idiomatic) to publicly express regret for something done wrong.
Translations
to publicly express regret for something done wrong
See also
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.