To express sorrow or regret about something; to lament or mourn deeply.
From the prefix 'be-' combined with 'wail,' an Old English word meaning 'to cry out.' The 'be-' prefix intensifies the action, creating a verb meaning to thoroughly cry out in lamentation. Used extensively in Biblical translations and literature.
Shakespeare and the King James Bible both loved 'bewail'—it has a dramatic quality because the 'be-' prefix makes it feel like a thorough, deep expression of sorrow. You don't just 'bewail' something casually; it implies genuine anguish and public lamentation.
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