sackcloth

sackcloth Definition

sack·cloth (-klôt̸h′, -klät̸h′)

noun

sacking
coarse, rough cloth, orig. made of goats' hair, worn as a symbol of mourning or penitence, often with ashes sprinkled on the head

Etymology: see sack

sackcloth Idioms

in sackcloth and ashes

in a state of great mourning or penitence

sackcloth Synonyms

in mourning, penitent, remorseful; see sorry 1.

sackcloth Usage Examples

Converse of object

wear: Men cut off their beards, people shave their heads; they make cuts on their hands and wear sackcloth.
make: The sun becomes black as sackcloth made of hair and the moon becomes like blood.
spread: Is it to bow down his head like a rush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him?
don: Will they don sackcloth and ashes, and promise to treat cop and State sources more skeptically in future?

Adjective modifier

sackcloth Quotes

Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness.

—Bible (Old Testament)

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