adj. 1. Feeling, showing, or expressing deep sorrow, grief, or wretchedness: "He was woebegone at the thought of losing my mother's voice from the choir" (John Irving). See Synonyms at sad. 2. Of an inferior or deplorable condition: a rundown, woebegone old shack. [Middle English wo begon, beset with woe : wo, woe; see WOE + begon, past participle of begon, to beset (from Old English begān : be-, be- + gān, to go; see GO1).] woebe·gone′ness n. |
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