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countable and uncountable, plural sackcloths
A coarse hessian style of cloth used to make sacks. examples
(usually with “and ashes”, also figurative) Garments worn as an act of penance. quotations examples
No more ashes, no more sackcloth / And an armband made of black cloth / Will someday never more adorn a sleeve
1959, “We Will All Go Together When We Go”, in Tom Lehrer (music), An Evening Wasted with Tom Lehrer, performed by Tom Lehrer
not comparable
Made of sackcloth. quotations examples
Next you saw her alone, a kneeling penitent at the foot of the crucifix; her long fair hair is unbound, and the sackcloth robe is girded by a cord round her slender shape: her hands are clasped, and tears are flowing fast from the quenched radiance of those shadowy eyes;...
1834, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], chapter XVII, in Francesca Carrara. […], volume III, London: Richard Bentley, […], (successor to Henry Colburn), page 144