Bewail
/bɪˈweɪl/noun
To mourn or lament something aloud.
Did you know?Bewail comes from an old intensifying prefix plus the verb wail, so the word preserves the sound of public mourning in a way modern English still hears.
Etymological Timeline
Old English
OE
be- + wælan
“to lament, grieve, or cry out over sorrow”
Middle English
ME
bewailen
“to lament loudly or express sorrow for”
14th Century
English
bewail
“to mourn or express grief for”
Modern English
English
bewail
“to mourn or lament something aloud”