/ kraɪ; NAmE / verb , noun
■ verb ( cries , cry·ing , cried , cried )
1.
cry (for sb/sth) | cry (about / over sth) to produce tears from your eyes because you are unhappy or hurt :
[ v ]
It's all right. Don't cry.
The baby was crying for (= because it wanted) its mother.
There's nothing to cry about.
He felt like crying with rage.
I just couldn't stop crying.
[ vn ]
I found him crying his eyes out (= crying very much) .
That night she cried herself to sleep .
[also v speech ]
2.
cry (for sth) to shout loudly :
[ v ]
She ran to the window and cried for help.
[ v speech ]
'You're safe!' Tom cried in delight.
3.
[ v ] ( of a bird or an animal ) to make a loud unpleasant noise :
Seagulls followed the boat, crying loudly.
•
IDIOMS
- cry foul
- cry over spilt milk
- cry wolf
- for crying out loud
—more at laugh verb , shoulder noun
•
PHRASAL VERBS
- cry off
- cry out
- cry out / cry out sth
- cry out for sth
■ noun ( pl. cries )
1.
[ C ] a loud sound without words that expresses a strong feeling :
to give a cry of anguish / despair / relief / surprise / terror, etc.
2.
[ C ] a loud shout :
With a cry of 'Stop thief!' he ran after the boy.
Her answer was greeted with cries of outrage.
3.
[ C ] the sound made by a bird or an animal :
the cry of gulls circling overhead
4.
[ sing. ] an action or a period of crying :
I felt a lot better after a good long cry.
5.
[ C ] ~ (for sth) an urgent demand or request for sth :
Her suicide attempt was really a cry for help .
6.
[ C ] (especially in compounds) a word or phrase that expresses a group's beliefs and calls people to action :
a battle cry
•
IDIOMS
- in full cry
—more at far adjective , hue
••
VOCABULARY BUILDING
cry
To cry is the most general word for producing tears when you are unhappy or hurt, or when you are extremely happy.
To sob means to cry noisily, taking sudden, sharp breaths.
To wail means to cry in a loud high voice.
To whimper means to cry making low, weak noises.
To weep ( literary or formal ) means to cry quietly for a long time.
All these verbs can be used like 'say':
'I don't want you to go,' she cried / wailed / sobbed.
To be in tears means to be crying.
To burst into tears means to suddenly begin to cry.
To cry your eyes out means to cry a lot or for a long time, because you are very sad.
••
WORD ORIGIN
Middle English (in the sense ask for earnestly or loudly ): from Old French crier (verb), cri (noun), from Latin quiritare raise a public outcry, literally call on the Quirites (Roman citizens) for help.