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# alas

«alas» in Mova's school dictionary: **A word that shows sadness, sorrow or regret: «Alas, it…** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 4 sentences of Mova's corpora that use it.

### part of speech

interjection (alas)

### meaning for a pupil

1) (old-fashioned or literary) A word that shows sadness, sorrow or regret: «Alas, it was too late.» [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/alas/#m1)

2) (humorous) Used today in a joking way for small disappointments. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/alas/#m2)

### sense in the lessons

Found in old stories, poems and fairy tales: «Alas! The prince was gone.» In The Wind in the Willows and Alice the word fits the grand, old-style storytelling voice. In modern writing it is often slightly funny: «Alas, the cake was all eaten.» It tells the reader something sad or disappointing has happened.

### examples

- Alas, the ship sank before it reached the shore. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/alas/#x1)
- «Alas! I shall be too late!» cried the White Rabbit. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/alas/#x2)
- I wanted to go to the beach, but alas, it rained all day. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/alas/#x3)
- Alas, poor Toad was locked in the deepest dungeon. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/alas/#x4)
- Alas, there was no chocolate left in the box. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/alas/#x5)
- The knight looked for the dragon, but alas, it had flown away. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/alas/#x6)
- Alas, a great deal too near! [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/alas/#x7)

### note

Usually at the start of a sentence, followed by a comma. Mostly in writing, rarely in everyday chat (except for a joke). Not a sound word like «ah»; it means sorrow.

### In the corpora

- [Alas! what am I saying?](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/books/67-willows-ch11-part3-badger-and-mole-come-home/6/)
- [And he took up his parable, and said: Alas, who shall live after God hath appointed him?](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/torah/jps/NUM.891/)
- [And he laid his carcass in his own grave; and they made lamentation for him: 'Alas, my brother!'](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/neviim/jps/1KI.515/)
- [And his servant said unto him: 'Alas, my master! how shall we do?'](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/neviim/jps/2KI.178/)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every meaning and example of «alas» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/alas/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.