cry
17 ENTRIES FOUND:
cries;
cried;
crying
cries;
cried;
crying
Britannica Dictionary definition of CRY
1
:
to produce tears from your eyes often while making loud sounds because of pain, sorrow, or other strong emotions
[no object]
-
The baby is crying. Is she okay?
-
a crying baby
-
Some people cry more easily than others.
-
He cried silently while the song played.
-
She cried all the way home from school that day.
-
He cried (for) the whole day.
-
She couldn't imagine why anyone would cry over a stupid movie.
-
She was crying with relief/frustration/anger.
-
The first day of camp, a number of children cried for their parents. [=cried because they wanted their parents]
[+ object]
-
They cried tears of joy.
◊ If you cry yourself to sleep, you cry until you have fallen asleep.
◊ If you cry your eyes out or cry your heart out, you cry a lot.
-
I cried my eyes out when I found out they had left without saying goodbye.
2
:
to shout or say something loudly
— often + for
— sometimes used figuratively
[+ object]
-
“We've won!” they cried.
-
“Help,” he cried, “Get a doctor! Quick!”
-
I heard someone cry “Wait!” but the train pulled away anyway.
[no object]
-
She cried [=called out] to the others to come and see what she'd found.
-
I heard someone crying for help.
-
Various groups have been crying for [=calling for] his resignation.
3
[no object]
of a bird or animal
:
to make the loud sound that is usual for a particular type of bird or animal
-
She'd never heard the sound of sea gulls crying by the shore.
a shoulder to cry on
cry for
[phrasal verb]
cry for (something)
:
to need or require (something) very much
-
This problem is crying for a solution.
-
The old house is crying for a new coat of paint.
cry foul
chiefly US
:
to complain that someone has done something that is not fair
-
When Mika's parents gave her a new bicycle, her sisters cried foul.
cry off
[phrasal verb] British
:
to say that you will not do something you have promised to do
-
He said he would help me move into my new apartment but then he cried off [=begged off] at the last minute.
cry out
[phrasal verb]
1
:
to make a loud sound because of pain, fear, surprise, etc.
-
She cried out in pain.
2
cry out
or
cry out (something)
:
to speak in a loud voice
:
to say (something) loudly or from a distance
-
We could hear them on the shore crying out [=calling out] to us, so we waved.
-
She cried out for help.
-
“I'm stuck,” she cried out.
-
She cried out that she was stuck.
3
cry out against (something)
:
to say publicly that (something) is wrong or unfair
:
to protest (something)
-
People around the world are crying out against the government's civil rights abuses.
4
— used to say that something clearly needs or should have a particular thing, person, use, etc.
— often + to be
— often + for
-
A chair like this cries out to be used [=should definitely be used], not kept in some museum.
-
The meal cried out to be eaten with a nice white wine. [=it was obvious that the meal should be served with a white wine]
-
The meal cried out for a nice white wine.
-
The job cries out for someone who's not afraid to take chances.
cry over spilled milk
(US) informal or chiefly British cry over spilt milk
:
to be upset about something that has happened and that cannot be changed
-
You made a mistake, but there's no use crying over spilled milk.
cry wolf
:
to make people think there is danger when there is really none
-
News organizations have been warned not to cry wolf. If people hear too many warnings that turn out to be nothing, they won't listen to the important warnings when they come.
for crying out loud
informal
— used to show anger, annoyance, etc.
-
Why won't they let me in? It's my house, for crying out loud!
— crying
noun [noncount]-
We heard (the sound of) crying in the next room.
-
a crying fit/jag/spell
2
cry
/ˈkraɪ/
noun
plural
cries
2
cry
/ˈkraɪ/
noun
plural
cries
Britannica Dictionary definition of CRY
1
[count]
:
a loud sound that someone makes to express pain, hunger, sadness, etc.
-
cries of pain
-
The baby's cry woke me out of a deep sleep.
2
[count]
:
something that is said loudly
:
a shout or call
— sometimes used figuratively
—
see also hue and cry
-
There was a cry of “Fire” and we all rushed for the exits.
-
The children were playing a game and their happy cries echoed through the house.
-
The verdict has been met with cries of outrage. [=people are very angry and upset about the verdict]
-
There have been loud cries [=calls] for his resignation from various groups.
3
[count]
:
a loud sound made by an animal or bird
-
the wild cry of a coyote
-
The birds' loud cries [=calls] startled me.
4
[singular]
:
an act of crying or a period of time spent crying
-
By the end of the movie, we'd all had a good cry. [=we had all cried for a while]
5
[count]
:
an act or way of behaving which shows that someone wants help, attention, etc.
-
The doctor thinks the boy's bad behavior at school is a cry for help.
6
[count]
:
a word or phrase that a group of people uses to express a common idea or goal or to unite them
—
see also battle cry, rallying cry, war cry
-
“Free speech” is the cry of the protesters.
a far cry from
:
very different from (something or someone)
-
The movie is a far cry from the book.
-
He's a far cry from the idealistic young writer he once was.
in full cry
1
:
full of anger, excitement, etc., especially in reaction to something
-
The school's budget is being cut, and teachers and parents are in full cry. [=are very angry and upset]
2
of hunting dogs
:
in the act of chasing an animal
:
in full pursuit
