deleful
A lone figure stands on a hill under a gray sky, their posture conveying a deleful sorrow.
Definition
- Adjective:
- Causing sorrow or distress: "Deleful" describes something that brings sadness, grief, or affliction. It is a rare or archaic term, often used in poetic or formal contexts to evoke a sense of deep melancholy or lamentation.
- Expressing mourning: It can also refer to a tone, sound, or appearance that is mournful, plaintive, or wailing.
Usage Examples
- Adjective:
- The deleful news of the shipwreck spread through the village. (The sorrowful news caused widespread grief.)
- Her deleful song echoed through the empty hall, stirring tears in the listeners. (Her mournful song expressed deep sadness.)
Advanced Usage
"A deleful cry": a sound of intense sorrow or lamentation.
- The wind carried a deleful cry from the distant forest, as if nature itself mourned. (A sorrowful, wailing sound.)
"Deleful countenance": a facial expression showing deep sadness.
- He wore a deleful countenance as he recounted the tragedy. (His face was filled with grief.)
Variants and Related Words
Dele (noun, obsolete): grief, sorrow, or affliction.
- He bore his dele with silent fortitude. (He endured his sorrow.)
Delefully (adverb): in a sorrowful or mournful manner.
- She delefully whispered the final goodbye. (She spoke with deep sadness.)
Synonyms
- Doleful: full of sorrow; mournful. (Note: "deleful" is a variant or misspelling of "doleful," which is more common.)
- Lamentable: deserving of or expressing grief or regret.
- Plaintive: sounding sad and mournful, often used for sounds or voices.
Related Idioms
Sing a deleful song: to express grief or complaint in a mournful manner.
- He always seems to sing a deleful song about his misfortunes. (He constantly laments his troubles.)
A deleful heart: a heart filled with sorrow.
- She carried a deleful heart after the loss of her friend. (She was deeply saddened.)
Note on Usage
- This word is very rare and largely considered an archaic or poetic variant of doleful. In modern English, "doleful" is the standard spelling and is more widely recognized. Use "deleful" only in contexts where an older or more literary tone is desired.