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It's an expression of sadness and regret. It often suggests that the situation is unfortunate, and so is somewhat similar to the way we might use "unfortunately". It often appears in the expression "alack the day".

Examples:

It would beseem the Lord Northumberland

To say 'King Richard:' alack the heavy day

When such a sacred king should hide his head. (Richard II)

Ah, well-a-day! he's dead, he's dead, he's dead!

We are undone, lady, we are undone!

Alack the day! he's gone, he's kill'd, he's dead! (Romeo and Juliet)

But his flaw'd heart

(Alack, too weak the conflict to support!)

'Twixt two extremes of passion, joy and grief,

Burst smilingly. (King Lear)

Alack, I am afraid they have awaked,

And 'tis not done. The attempt and not the deed

Confounds us. (Macbeth)

Thou bring'st me happiness and peace, son John;

But health, alack, with youthful wings is flown

From this bare wither'd trunk. (Henry IV Part II)

It is sort of like "Alas" with which it can be used interchangeably.

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13y ago

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