mourning

/ˈmɔːnɪŋ/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈmɔːrnɪŋ/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈmȯr-niŋ/ (ame, mw)

mourning — noun

1. the deep sadness a person or family feels after someone they love has died

1.名詞B2
釋義

the deep sadness a person or family feels after someone they love has died

例句

After Aunt Lila died, Christopher sat in quiet mourning for weeks.

pattern: sit in mourning

After the baby was buried, the whole family went into mourning.

pattern: go into mourning

同義詞
  • grief

    the most direct word for the inner pain of loss

  • bereavement

    more formal and often used for the condition of having lost someone

  • sorrow

    broader and not limited to death-related sadness

文法句型

be in mourning

go into mourning

deep mourning

用法筆記

Often used for the condition of a person or family after a death, especially in phrases like 'be in mourning' or 'go into mourning'. Unlike sense 2, it focuses on the grief itself rather than organized public acts.

常見錯誤

❌She felt mourning after failing the driving test.
✅She felt disappointment after failing the driving test.
💡'mourning' is used for grief after a death or a similarly grave loss, not an ordinary setback.

2. the public or social practice of showing grief for the dead through customs, cer

2.名詞C1
釋義

the public or social practice of showing grief for the dead through customs, ceremonies, or other visible acts

例句

The town entered mourning after the miners were found dead.

pattern: enter mourning

Jack arranged public mourning in the square after the bombing.

collocation: public mourning

同義詞
反義詞
  • celebration

    marks a joyful public event rather than collective grief

  • rejoicing

    highlights shared visible happiness, the opposite public mood

文法句型

observe mourning

enter mourning

public mourning

用法筆記

Common when a community, institution, or whole country marks a death in a visible way. Distinguish from sense 1, which centers on personal grief rather than organized customs or official acts.

常見錯誤

❌The school announced mourning because the team lost the final.
✅The school expressed disappointment because the team lost the final.
💡This sense is used for grief after death or public tragedy, not for ordinary bad news.

3. special clothes, often black, that people wear to show grief after a death

3.名詞C1
釋義

special clothes, often black, that people wear to show grief after a death

例句

At the funeral, Joon wore mourning from head to toe.

pattern: wear mourning

The widow changed into mourning before guests arrived at the house.

pattern: change into mourning

文法句型

wear mourning

change into mourning

in mourning dress

用法筆記

Usually follows 'wear' or appears with a specific garment such as a veil, band, or dress. In modern English, speakers often name the clothing item directly, so mourning in this sense sounds slightly historical or formal.

常見錯誤

❌He wore mourning to the office because the dress code was formal.
✅He wore black clothes to the office because the dress code was formal.
💡'mourning' clothing shows grief after a death, not ordinary formality.

4. the ritual cries people make loudly after a death in some cultures

4.名詞C1
釋義

the ritual cries people make loudly after a death in some cultures

例句

When the coffin arrived, women began mourning outside the gate.

ritual use: loud mourning cries

A sharp mourning rose from the yard as dawn prayers ended.

pattern: mourning rose from + place

同義詞
  • keening

    often used for a long, high-pitched cry for the dead

  • wailing

    broader and can describe any loud crying, not only ritual grief

  • lamentation

    more literary and can include spoken or sung grief

文法句型

hear mourning from + place

mourning rose from + place

用法筆記

Mostly found in descriptions of funeral customs, traditional rituals, or anthropology. It is not the usual word for ordinary crying after bad news.

常見錯誤

❌The fans broke into mourning after the team lost.
✅The fans broke into loud crying after the team lost.
💡This sense refers to ritual cries after a death, not to disappointment after a game.