| 释义 |
▪ I. alack, int.|əˈlæk|
Also alac, alacke, and north. alaik, alake.
[(As suggested by Prof. Skeat) f. a int. Ah! O! + lak (north. laik) lack, failure, fault, reproach, disgrace, shame; hence, used in ‘crying out upon’ a thing in depreciation or reprobation. Also aphetized lack!]
An exclamation originally of dissatisfaction, reprobation, or deprecation = pity or shame that it should be so; and hence of regret or surprise. Occ. with a dative obj. Now arch., poet. or dial.
c1480Robt. Devyll 25 Alacke, sayd the Duke, yet am I gladde. 1513Douglas æneis iv. x. 20 Thus fynaly scho out bradis, alaik! 1544Bale in Harl. Misc. (Malh.) I. 269 Alac, Sir, why do ye say so? 1599H. Porter Angry Women (1841) 54 Where I shall be adiudged, alack the ruthe, To penance for the follies of my youth! 1610Shakes. Temp. i. ii. 152 Alack, what trouble Was I then to you? 1773Goldsm. Stoops to Conq. v. ii. (1854) 68 Alack, mamma, it was all your own fault. a1842Tennyson Old Year 47 Alack! our friend is gone.
b. esp. in phr. alack the day! alack-a-day! originally ‘Shame or reproach to the day! Woe worth the day!’ but in later usage of mere surprise, and aphetized lack-a-day!
1592Shakes. Rom. & Jul. iv. v. 23 Shee's dead, deceast, shee's dead: alacke the day! 1703Steele Tender Husb. ii. i, Alack-a-day, Cousin Biddy, these idle romances have quite turn'd your head. 1834M. Scott Cruise Midge 177 Alas and alackaday both the pig and the wig were drowned.
▪ II. † aˈlack, adv. (pred. a.) Obs. rare.
[a prep.1 + lack, after asleep.]
Lacking, wanting, missing.
a1528Skelton Magnyf. 2558 Sodenly promotyd and sodenly put back, Soddenly commendyd, and suddenly fynde a lacke. 1587Turberville Epit. & Sonn. (1837) 317 But now (Alas) she is alacke. |