(Hebrews qinah), an elegy or dirge. The first example of this form of poetry is the lament of David over Saul and Jonathan (2 Samuel 1:17-27). It was a frequent accompaniment of mourning (Amos 8:10). In 2 Samuel 3:33, 34 is recorded David's lament over Abner. Prophecy sometimes took the form of a lament when it predicted calamity (Ezek. 27:2, 32; 28:12; 32:2, 16).

Noah Webster's New International Dictionary of the English Language

1. (n.) The act of bewailing; audible expression of sorrow; wailing; moaning.

2. (n.) A book of the Old Testament attributed to the prophet Jeremiah, and taking its name from the nature of its contents.