cry

1 /kraI/ verb past tense and past participle cried /kraId/ present participle crying

1 PRODUCE TEARS (I) to produce tears from your eyes, usually because you are unhappy or hurt: Don't cry, Laura. It's OK. | I always cry at weddings.

(+ over/about): I know it's stupid to cry over something so unimportant. (+ with/in): Zack began to cry with frustration. (+ for): The baby was crying for attention. | cry your eyes out/cry your heart out informal (=be extremely sad and cry a lot) | cry yourself to sleep (=cry until you fall asleep)

2 SAY LOUDLY (T) to shout something loudly: "Stop!" she cried.

3 ANIMALS/BIRDS (I) if animals and birds cry they make a loud sound: seagulls on the cliffs crying loudly

4 cry on sb's shoulder informal to tell someone why you are unhappy or worried: I've had Glen crying on my shoulder all afternoon about his love life.

5 cry over spilt milk to waste time feeling sorry about an earlier mistake or problem that cannot be changed: It's no use crying over spilt milk.

6 cry into your beer informal to feel too much pity for yourself, especially because you think you have been treated unfairly

7 cry wolf to ask for help when you do not need it, so that people do not believe you when you really need help

8 for crying out loud spoken used when you feel annoyed or impatient with someone: For crying out loud, stop nagging me about it!

9 (T) literary to make something known to the public by shouting: cry your wares: market traders crying their wares

-see also: cry for the moon moon 1 (4) cry off phrasal verb (I) BrE to say that you will not do something that you have already promised to do: Paul tried to cry off at the last moment saying he had to work late. cry out phrasal verb

1 (I) to make a loud sound of fear, shock, pain etc: He was in a lot of pain, but he didn't cry out.

(+ in/with): Even the smallest movement made him cry out in pain.

2 (I, T) to shout something loudly: Maria cried out sharply, "Don't touch it!"

(+ for): I was so scared, I couldn't even cry out for help.

3 be crying out for informal to need something urgently: The kitchen is crying out for a coat of paint.

4 cry out against to complain strongly or protest strongly about something

2 noun plural cries

1 SOUND EXPRESSING FEELING (C) a loud sound showing fear, pain, shock etc: a baby's cry | a cry of alarm/anger/despair etc: A cry of protest rose from the crowd. | a cry of delight | give a cry/let out a cry: Hugh let out a startled cry as he fell into the water.

2 SHOUT (C) a loud shout: As they left the stage there were cries of "More! More!"

3 ANIMAL/BIRD (C) a sound made by a particular animal: the cries of seagulls wheeling over the docks

4 TIME WHEN SB CRIES (singular) especially BrE a period of time during which you cry: have a cry: You'll feel better after you've had a good cry.

5 be a far cry from informal to be very different from something else: It was a far cry from the leafy suburbs she was used to.

6 cry for help something someone says or does that shows that they are very unhappy and need help: Janie's suicide attempt was obviously a cry for help.

7 PHRASE (C) a phrase that is used to unite people in support of a particular action or idea; slogan: war/battle cry (=a phrase shouted at the enemy in a fight)

8 in full cry

a) if someone is in full cry they are strongly or loudly criticizing someone or something: The Democrats were in full cry over Reagan's defence spending plans.

b) if a group of dogs is in full cry, they are making loud noises as they hunt an animal

-see also: hue and cry