Bewailing Meaning: Definition, Examples, and Translations
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bewailing
[bɪˈweɪlɪŋ ]
Definition
expressing grief
To bewail means to express great sadness or disappointment about something. It often implies a sense of mourning or lamentation, particularly regarding a loss or an unfortunate situation. The term can also be used in a more general sense to indicate frustration or dissatisfaction with circumstances. Bewailing something might involve vocalizing one's distress or feelings of unhappiness.
Synonyms
lamenting, mourning, regretting, sorrowing.
Examples of usage
- She was bewailing the loss of her beloved pet.
- The community gathered, bewailing the decline of local businesses.
- He was bewailing the results of the election.
- In her poem, she bewails lost opportunities and dreams.
Translations
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Interesting Facts
Literature
- In Shakespeare's plays, characters often bewail their fates, capturing the human experience of loss and regret.
- Romantic poets like Wordsworth and Coleridge used the concept of bewailing to express deep emotional responses to nature and loss.
- Many ballads and folk songs tell stories of love lost, where bewailing plays a central role in expressing sadness.
Psychology
- Expressing grief through bewailing can be a healthy way to process emotions and cope with loss.
- Psychologists suggest that allowing oneself to bewail can lead to better emotional recovery over time.
- Communal bewailing has been observed in various cultures as a means to support collective grief.
Cultural Perspectives
- In some cultures, bewailing is an expected part of mourning rituals, where family and friends gather to express their sorrow together.
- In Victorian England, bewailing was often dramatized in literature and social settings, highlighting the emotional weight of loss.
- Modern interpretations often take a lighter approach, using humor to cope with grief rather than deep bewailing.
Pop Culture
- Songs like 'Tears in Heaven' by Eric Clapton and 'Hurt' by Nine Inch Nails illustrate themes of bewailing, resonating with listeners experiencing loss.
- Movies often portray characters bewailing losses in dramatic scenes, making it an emotional focal point in storytelling.
- The act of bewailing has inspired various artworks where artists depict sorrow and loss visually, emphasizing the human condition.
Origin of 'bewailing'
Main points about word origin
- The word 'bewail' comes from the Old English 'be-' meaning 'about' and 'wailen' meaning 'to wail or cry out'.
- It has been used in English since the late 14th century, originally in the context of mourning.
- Related words like 'wail' originated from Germanic roots, linking it to expressing sorrow.
The word 'bewail' originates from the Old English 'bewailian', which means 'to mark out' or 'to lament'. It is composed of the prefix 'be-' which is often used to intensify the meaning of a verb, and 'wail', derived from the Old English 'weolcan', meaning 'to cry out' or 'to mourn'. Historically, bewailing was associated with formal acts of mourning, especially in literature and poetry, signifying deep emotional distress. As the language evolved, the term came to encompass broader expressions of grief and lamentation, often reflecting personal or communal sorrow in times of hardship. Its usage peaked in the 17th and 18th centuries when emotional expression was a prominent theme in literature and art.