woe to/betide
phrase
old-fashioned
—used as a warning that there will be trouble if someone does something specified
Woe betide anyone who enters here!
Woe to any student who is late for her class.
Cite this Entry
“Woe to/betide.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/woe%20to%2Fbetide. Accessed 11 Mar. 2026.
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
