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| Date: | 1200-1300 |
| Language: | Old French |
| Origin: | crier, from Latin quiritare 'to shout for help (from a citizen), scream', from Quiris 'Roman citizen' |
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cry1 S2 W2
past tense and past participle cried, present participle crying, third person singular cries
past tense and past participle cried, present participle crying, third person singular cries1
to produce tears from your eyes, usually because you are unhappy or hurt : 
Don't cry, Laura. It'll be OK.Upstairs, a baby began to cry. Jamie looked like he'd been crying. I just couldn't stop crying.
produce tears
[intransitive]HBHDon't cry, Laura. It'll be OK.Upstairs, a baby began to cry.Jamie looked like he'd been crying.I just couldn't stop crying. cry your eyes/heart out (=be extremely sad and cry a lot)
cry yourself to sleep (=cry until you fall asleep)
2 to shout or say something loudly [= cry out]: 'Stop!' she cried.
say loudly
[transitive] written'Stop!' she cried. cry for I could hear voices crying for help.
I could hear voices crying for help.3 to waste time feeling sorry about an earlier mistake or problem that cannot be changed :
cry over spilt milk
4 used when you feel annoyed or impatient with someone : For crying out loud, stop nagging!
for crying out loud
spokenFor crying out loud, stop nagging!5 to protest because you think something is wrong or not fair : When the ads appeared, it was the Democrats' turn to cry foul.
cry foul
When the ads appeared, it was the Democrats' turn to cry foul.6 if animals or birds cry, they make a loud sound : I could hear gulls crying and the soft whisper of the sea.
animals/birds
[intransitive]HBI could hear gulls crying and the soft whisper of the sea.7 to ask for help when you do not need it, so that people do not believe you when you really need help
cry wolf
8 to feel too much pity for yourself, especially because you think you have been treated unfairly
cry into your beer
informal➔ not know whether to laugh or cry
at laugh1 (3); ➔ cry for the moon
at moon1 (4); ➔ a shoulder to cry on
at shoulder1 (5)WORD FOCUS: cry
WORD FOCUS: cry 
be in tears to be crying
burst into tears to suddenly start crying
break down (in tears) to suddenly cry a lot, after trying not to cry
sob to cry noisily, with sudden noisy breaths
weep especially written to cry a lot for a long time
bawl if a baby bawls, it cries very loudly
have tears in your eyes to be about to cry
your eyes water you start to cry, especially because you have been cutting up onions or there is a lot of smoke
cry off
phrasal verbLeah and I were going to go to Morocco together, but at the last moment she cried off.cry out
phrasal verb1 to make a loud sound of fear, shock, pain etc John tightened his grip until she cried out.
John tightened his grip until she cried out.2 to shout or say something loudly : 'Why are you doing this?' she cried out suddenly.
'Why are you doing this?' she cried out suddenly.3 to need something urgently : The kitchen is crying out for a coat of paint. My parents had divorced and I was crying out for love.
be crying out for something
informalThe kitchen is crying out for a coat of paint.My parents had divorced and I was crying out for love.
