Woe is me

Definitions

• expressing sorrow or lamentation
  To express one's own distress or misfortune

• mocking or sarcastic
  To mock or express disbelief in someone else's exaggerated complaints or self-pity

Examples of Woe is me

• I lost my job, my car broke down, and my cat ran away. Woe is me, I feel like the world is spiraling out of control.

  "Woe is me" is an idiom that originated from the Bible, specifically, the Book of Jonah. It originally meant "how miserable I am" or "how unhappy I am" in a more literal sense, but now it is commonly used to express exaggerated feelings of misfortune or hardship. In our example, the speaker's multiple misfortunes, combined with the phrase "Woe is me," emphasizes the severity of their situation and suggests a feeling of complete despair.

• I lost my job, my car broke down, and I received a massive bill in the mail. Woe is me, I feel like my life is falling apart.

  The expression "Woe is me" is an old English idiom that signifies deep and profound misery. When used in a sentence, it is followed by a description of the misfortune or hardship that is being faced. In this example, the speaker is using "Woe is me" to express the fact that they are facing multiple difficulties at once and feel overwhelmed by their misfortune.

• After losing my job, missing my flight, and getting stuck in heavy traffic, I feel like saying "Woe is me" as my day has taken a drastic turn for the worse.

  The idiom "Woe is me" is a figurative expression that conveys a sense of profound misery or despair. It is often used to express a feeling of extreme bad luck or hardship, as if one's fate were so miserable that it would evoke pity. In this example, the speaker is using the idiom to express the series of unfortunate events that have happened to them, emphasizing how these events have made their day particularly distressful.

Conclusion

The idiom "woe is me" is used to express personal distress or misfortune. It can also be used in a mocking or sarcastic manner to dismiss someone else's exaggerated complaints. Overall, it is a phrase that conveys a sense of sorrow or lamentation.

Origin of "Woe is me"

The origin of the idiom "woe is me" can be traced back to the Old Testament of the Bible, specifically in the Book of Psalms. In Psalm 120:5, it is written, "Woe is me, that I sojourn in Mesech, that I dwell in the tents of Kedar!" This usage reflects the expression of sorrow and distress. Over time, the phrase has become a common idiom in the English language to convey personal lamentation or to mock someone else's complaints. It has been used in literature, poetry, and everyday speech to express a sense of sorrow or to dismiss exaggerated complaints. Examples of the idiom can be found in various literary works and historical texts, showcasing its long-standing presence in the English language.