Word Study
woe
CIDE DICTIONARY
woe, n. [OE. wo, wa, woo, AS. wā, interj.; akin to D. wee, OS. & OHG. w, G. weh, Icel. vei, Dan. vee, Sw. ve, Goth. wai; cf. L. vae, Gr. . Wail.].
- Grief; sorrow; misery; heavy calamity. [1913 Webster]"Thus saying, from her side the fatal key,
Sad instrument of all our woe, she took." [1913 Webster]"[They] weep each other's woe." [1913 Webster] - A curse; a malediction. [1913 Webster]" Woe is used in denunciation, and in exclamations of sorrow. “ Woe is me! for I am undone.”" Isa. vi. 5. [1913 Webster]"Can there be a woe or curse in all the stores of vengeance equal to the malignity of such a practice?" [1913 Webster]"O! woe were us alive [i.e., in life]." [1913 Webster]"Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker!" [1913 Webster]"Woe worth the chase, woe worth the day,
That costs thy life, my gallant gray!" [1913 Webster]
woe, a.
Woeful; sorrowful. [1913 Webster]
"His clerk was woe to do that deed." [1913 Webster]
"Woe was this knight and sorrowfully he sighed." [1913 Webster]
"And looking up he waxed wondrous woe." [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
woe, n. archaic or literary 1 affliction; bitter grief; distress.
2 (in pl.) calamities, troubles.
3 joc. problems (told me a tale of woe).
2 (in pl.) calamities, troubles.
3 joc. problems (told me a tale of woe).
Idiom
woe betide there will be unfortunate consequences for (woe betide you if you are late). woe is me an exclamation of distress.
Etymology
OE wa, w{aelig} f. Gmc, a natural exclam. of lament
THESAURUS
woe
abomination, aching heart, affliction, agony, agony of mind, anguish, atrocity, bad, bale, bane, befoulment, bemoaning, bewailing, bitter cup, bitter draft, bitter draught, bitter pill, bitterness, bleeding heart, blight, broken heart, bugbear, burden, burden of care, calamity, cankerworm of care, care, carking care, cataclysm, catastrophe, corruption, cross, crown of thorns, crushing, crushing burden, crying evil, curse, damage, death, defilement, depression, depth of misery, desolation, despair, despoliation, destruction, detriment, disease, distress, dole, encumbrance, evil, extremity, gall, gall and wormwood, grief, grievance, harm, havoc, heartache, heartbreak, heartfelt grief, heartgrief, heavy heart, hurt, ill, infection, infelicity, infliction, injury, lamentation, languishment, load, melancholia, melancholy, misadventure, mischief, misery, nemesis, open wound, oppression, outrage, pack of troubles, peck of troubles, pest, pestilence, pining, plague, poison, pollution, prostration, regret, rue, running sore, sadness, scourge, sea of troubles, sorrow, sorrowing, suicidal despair, the worst, thorn, torment, toxin, tragedy, trouble, unhappiness, venom, vexation, visitation, waters of bitterness, weight, wretchedness, wrongROGET THESAURUS
woe
Pain
N mental suffering, pain, dolor, suffering, sufferance, ache, smart, passion, displeasure, dissatisfaction, discomfort, discomposure, disquiet, malaise, inquietude, uneasiness, vexation of spirit, taking, discontent, dejection, weariness, anhedonia, annoyance, irritation, worry, infliction, visitation, plague, bore, bother, botheration, stew, vexation, mortification, chagrin, esclandre, mauvais quart d'heur, care, anxiety, solicitude, trouble, trial, ordeal, fiery ordeal, shock, blow, cark, dole, fret, burden, load, concern, grief, sorrow, distress, affliction, woe, bitterness, heartache, carking cares, heavy heart, aching heart, bleeding heart, broken heart, heavy affliction, gnawing grief, unhappiness, infelicity, misery, tribulation, wretchedness, desolation, despair, extremity, prostration, depth of misery, nightmare, ephialtes, incubus, pang, anguish, agony, torture, torment, purgatory, hell upon earth, iron age, reign of terror, slough of despond, peck of troubles, ills that flesh is heir to, miseries of human life, unkindest cut of all, sufferer, victim, prey, martyr, object of compassion, wretch, shorn lamb, in pain, in a state of pain, full of pain, suffering, pained, afflicted, worried, displeased, aching, griped, sore, on the rack, in limbo, between hawk and buzzard, uncomfortable, uneasy, ill at ease, in a taking, in a way, disturbed, discontented, out of humor, weary, heavy laden, stricken, crushed, a prey to, victimized, ill-used, unfortunate, to be pitied, doomed, devoted, accursed, undone, lost, stranded, fey, unhappy, infelicitous, poor, wretched, miserable, woe-begone, cheerless, careworn, concerned, sorry, sorrowing, sorrowful, cut up, chagrined, horrified, horror-stricken, in grief, plunged in grief, a prey to grief, in tears, steeped to the lips in misery, heart-stricken, heart-broken, heart-scalded, broken-hearted, in despair, the iron entered into our soul, haeret lateri lethalis arundo, one's heart bleeding, down, thou climbing sorrow, mirth cannot move a soul in agony, nessun maggior dolere che ricordarsi del tempo fel, sorrow's crown of sorrow is remembering happier th, the Niobe of Nations.For further exploring for "woe" in Webster Dictionary Online
