ENGLISH
REFERENCE

mourn

v.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈmɔɹn// UK //mˈɔːn// mourn Literary

v. to feel or show great sadness because someone has died. You can also use it when you lose something very important to you.

v. to feel or express deep sorrow following a death or a significant loss. Often implies a period of public or private grieving.


SIMPLE

The whole country began to mourn the loss of their leader.

CONTEXTUAL

She took a week off work to mourn her father and handle his final affairs.

COMPLEX

While some cultures mourn in silence and isolation, others celebrate the life of the deceased with communal feasts and vibrant music to help the living process their grief.

Origin

From Middle English mornen, mournen, from Old English murnan, from Proto-Germanic *murnaną. Cognate with French morne (“gloomy”).

Usage

The verb can be used transitively ('mourn someone') or intransitively ('mourn for someone').

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