wear sackcloth and ashes

"Black people don't have to wear sackcloth and ashes to show their concern."

Hell, she could wear sackcloth and ashes and still stir his lust.

Let us not therefore wear sackcloth and ashes, be issued with yellow cards or be depressed.

He says they wore sackcloth and ashes."

Gamely, he replied, "It wouldn't matter if she shaved her head and wore sackcloth and ashes.

"Life is not locking yourself away and wearing sackcloth and ashes," said Mr. Greener of United Distillers.

And there was that guard at Tuan's castle; Sir Maris is still wearing sackcloth and ashes because the enemy managed to infiltrate his troops.

She continues, "We didn't want to walk around the whole day long wearing sackcloth and ashes, filled with remorse, because of something that others did, and with whom we didn't have anything to do."

Penitents were divided into a separate part of the church during liturgical worship, and they came to mass wearing sackcloth and ashes in a process known as exomologesis that often involved some form of general confession.

'If you and the Haversleys had your way, I'd have been lynched by now, but, God knows, I'd give my right arm to see Patrick get off, if only to watch the three of you wearing sackcloth and ashes for the rest of your lives.'