(cries, ~ing, cried)
Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English.
1.
When you ~, tears come from your eyes, usually because you are unhappy or hurt.
I hung up the phone and started to ~...
Please don’t ~...
He cried with anger and frustration.
...a ~ing baby.
VERB: V, V, V with n, V-ing
•
Cry is also a noun.
A nurse patted me on the shoulder and said, ‘You have a good ~, dear.’
N-SING
~ing
She had been unable to sleep for three days because of her 13-week-old son’s ~ing.
N-UNCOUNT: usu with poss
2.
If you ~ something, you shout it or say it loudly.
‘Nancy Drew,’ she cried, ‘you’re under arrest!’...
VERB: V with quote
•
Cry out means the same as ~ .
‘You’re wrong, quite wrong!’ Henry cried out, suddenly excited...
According to the legend, she cried out that no storm was going to stop her from finishing her ride.
PHRASAL VERB: V P with quote, V P that
3.
A ~ is a loud, high sound that you make when you feel a strong emotion such as fear, pain, or pleasure.
A ~ of horror broke from me...
With a ~, she rushed forward.
N-COUNT: oft N of n
4.
A ~ is a shouted word or phrase, usually one that is intended to attract someone’s attention.
Thousands of Ukrainians burst into cries of ‘bravo’ on the steps of the parliament...
Passers-by heard his cries for help.
= shout
N-COUNT: oft N of/for n
see also battle ~ , rallying ~
5.
You can refer to a public protest about something or an appeal for something as a ~ of some kind. (JOURNALISM)
There have been cries of outrage about this expenditure...
N-COUNT: usu N of/for n
6.
A bird’s or animal’s ~ is the loud, high sound that it makes.
...the ~ of a seagull.
= call
N-COUNT
7.
see also ~ing
8.
Something that is a far ~ from something else is very different from it.
Their lives are a far ~ from his own poor childhood.
PHRASE: v-link PHR, PHR n
9.
You use the expression for ~ing out loud in order to show that you are annoyed or impatient, or to add force to a question or request. (INFORMAL, SPOKEN)
I mean, what’s he ever done in his life, for ~ing out loud?
EXCLAM: PHR with cl feelings
10.
to ~ your eyes out: see eye
a shoulder to ~ on: see shoulder