n. & v.
n. 1 a passionate expression of grief. 2 a song or poem of mourning or sorrow.
v.tr. (also absol.) 1 express or feel grief for or about; regret (lamented the loss of his ticket). 2 (as lamented adj.) a conventional expression referring to a recently dead person (your late lamented father). lament for (or over) mourn or regret. lamenter n. lamentingly adv.
[ L lamentum ]