Definitions
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
- interj. Used to express woe or distress.
- n. A lamentation.
Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- An exclamation expressive of grief or sorrow, equivalent to alas.
- n. Woe; misery.
Wiktionary
- interj. archaic Expressing sadness, regret etc.
Etymologies
- Old English weġ lā weġ, alteration of wā lā wā, with substitution of Old Norse vei for Old English wā. Compare wellawo, weila. (Wiktionary)
- Middle English, alteration (influenced by well, well and awai, away) of Old English weilāwei, alteration (influenced by Old Scandinavian *wei, woe) of wā lā wā : wā, woe; see woe + lā, lo; see lo. (American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition)
Examples
“But if Icould have given him advice ten years ago, I would have said: Stay wellaway from Nottingham.”
Bits and Bobs (Vol. 5 1/2): Exclusive 'Robin Hood' scoop from Richard Armitage! | EW.com
“Netzia, Neserea The golden sheen of the wood panels set between the ancient built-in bookcases, also of golden oak, glistens in the light from the half-score manteled lamps set in bronze free-standing sconces, wellaway from wood and books.”
“Ah, wellaway for such a lovely one with this hideous Quasimodo!”
“But, wellaway! all was in vain; my nee'le is never the near.”
“Alas, alack and wellaway for blamer's calumny! viii.”
“Alas, alack and wellaway for blamer’s calumny! viii.”
Lists
These user-created lists contain the word ‘wellaway’.
-
phrontistery-w
from phrontistery.info
wyrd, wynd, wyn, wye, wuthering, wurzel, wurst, wurley, wuffler, wrox, wroth, wrongous and 282 more...
-
There oughta be a law
there oughta be a..., law, flaw, slaw, cole slaw, lawyer, lawn, Lucy Lawless, lawn ornament, John Law, claw, rollaway and 54 more...
-
Words With Initial and Final "w"
Words with an initial and final "w", such as whittaw, williwaw, windlestraw and wow-wow.
whitlow, willow, withdraw, window, widow, workflow, worldview, wallow, wheelbarrow, whew, winnow, whipsaw and 20 more...
-
Well
well, wells, swells, hot-well, well-being, wellborn, wellaway, wellness, Ida Bell Wells, H.G. Wells, Henry Wells, that's all well a... and 54 more...
-
Carlos' Words
monstropolous, absquatulate
triffid, calque, pinguid, refulgent, monstropolous, Seanchaí, clinquant, Chryselephantine ..., peavey, milium, swage, Burtillon, Burtil... and 217 more...
-
Archaic
Because they just don't make 'em like they used to.
comeling, circuition, assentment, advisement, accompts, apertness, larum, soothfastness, deperdition, marish, covin, tinct and 166 more...
-
Words of the Day
glabella, chirotony, nook-shotten, crapehanger, filemot, swirlie, egosurf, lexiphanicism, Ruritanian, stichometry, chrononaut, faldstool and 2031 more...
-
Bombardier Bilby Blows The Cellar
Words that sound much better than cellar door.
drumbledrane, foulmart, muzzle drift, slugplum, spinecabbage, chuffling tigers, bone-eating snot ..., greenchop, filth, gasometer, Piper Alpha, concussor and 49 more...
Tweets
Looking for tweets for wellaway.
whichbe Expression of sorrow or lamentation; alas. (from Phrontistery) May 24, 2008