mourn, mourning

Facts:

The terms "mourn" and "mourning" refer to expressing deep grief, usually in response to the death of someone.

In many cultures, mourning includes specific outward behaviors that show this sadness and grief.
The Israelites and other people groups in ancient times expressed mourning through loud wailing and lamenting. They also wore rough clothing made of sackcloth and put ashes on themselves.
Hired mourners, usually women, would loudly weep and wail from the time of death until well after the body was put in the tomb.
The typical period of mourning was seven days, but could last as long as thirty days (as for Moses and Aaron) or seventy days (as for Jacob).
The Bible also uses the term figuratively to talk about "mourning" because of sin. This refers to feeling deeply grieved because sin hurts God and people.

(See also: sackcloth, sin)