SACKCLOTH AND ASHES

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does sackcloth and ashes mean? 

• SACKCLOTH AND ASHES (noun)
  The noun SACKCLOTH AND ASHES has 1 sense:

1. a display of extreme remorse or repentance or grief

  Familiarity information: SACKCLOTH AND ASHES used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• SACKCLOTH AND ASHES (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A display of extreme remorse or repentance or grief

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Hypernyms ("sackcloth and ashes" is a kind of...):

display (behavior that makes your feelings public)

 Context examples 

He attended on us, as I may say, in sackcloth and ashes.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)