lackaday
Old-fashioned sorrow exclamation
Lackaday is an archaic exclamation expressing regret, dismay, or sorrow—essentially a way of saying "alas" or "what a pity." It originated as a contraction of "alack the day," lamenting the day on which something unfortunate occurred.
The word survives mainly in period literature and historical fiction, where characters might sigh Lackaday, we are undone!
The related form lackadaisical, meaning listless or without enthusiasm, derives from this expression.
Expression of regret
- woeGreat sorrow or distress
- fieArchaic disgust interjection
- pshawInterjection expressing contempt
- egadDated mild oath
zounds · gadzooks · marry · prithee · forsooth · heyday · dear me · woe is me
Deep emotional distress
- griefIntense sorrow from loss
- woeGreat sorrow or distress
- melancholySubdued, lasting sadness
- dejectionState of lowness
lamentation · mourning · sighing · pining · ruefulness · despondency · heartsickness · doleful
Attractively unfamiliar, outdated
- antiquatedOld and outdated
- obsoleteNo longer in use
- outmodedNo longer in fashion
- datedOld-fashioned or courted
old-fashioned · bygone · yesteryear · old-timey · Elizabethan · Shakespearean · theatrical · affected
alas
Expression of regret
egad · zounds · gadzooks · marry · prithee · forsooth · heyday · dear me · woe is me · heavens
sorrow
Deep emotional distress
- griefIntense sorrow from loss
- woeGreat sorrow or distress
- melancholySubdued, lasting sadness
dejection · lamentation · mourning · sighing · pining · ruefulness · despondency · heartsickness · doleful · plaintive
quaint
Attractively unfamiliar, outdated
- antiquatedOld and outdated
- obsoleteNo longer in use
- outmodedNo longer in fashion
dated · old-fashioned · bygone · yesteryear · old-timey · Elizabethan · Shakespearean · theatrical · affected · mannered