cry
♦♦ cry /kr'aɪ/ (cries crying cried)
1 [VERB] V, V, V with n, V-ing
When you cry, tears come from your eyes, usually because you are unhappy or hurt.
I hung up the phone and started to cry...
Please don't cry...
He cried with anger and frustration.
...a crying baby.
[N-SING]
Cry is also a noun.
A nurse patted me on the shoulder and said, `You have a good cry, dear.'
● crying [N-UNCOUNT] usu with poss
She had been unable to sleep for three days because of her 13-week-old son's crying.
2 [VERB] V with quote
If you cry something, you shout it or say it loudly.
`Nancy Drew,' she cried, `you're under arrest!'...
[PHRASAL VERB] V P with quote, V P that
Cry out means the same as cry.
`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.
3 [N-COUNT] oft N of n
A cry is a loud, high sound that you make when you feel a strong emotion such as fear, pain, or pleasure.
A cry of horror broke from me...
With a cry, she rushed forward.
4 [N-COUNT] oft N of/for n
A cry 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.
see also battle cry, rallying cry
= shout
5 [N-COUNT] usu N of/for n
You can refer to a public protest about something or an appeal for something as a cry of some kind. (JOURNALISM)
There have been cries of outrage about this expenditure...
6 [N-COUNT]
A bird's or animal's cry is the loud, high sound that it makes.
...the cry of a seagull.
= call
7
see also crying
8 [PHRASE] v-link PHR, PHR n
Something that is a far cry from something else is very different from it.
Their lives are a far cry from his own poor childhood.
9 [EXCLAM] PHR with cl
You use the expression for crying 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 crying out loud?
10
to cry your eyes out: see eye
a shoulder to cry on: see shoulderbat|tle cry (battle cries)
also battle-cry
1 [N-COUNT]
A battle cry is a phrase that is used to encourage people to support a particular cause or campaign.
Their battle-cry will be: `Sign this petition before they sign away your country.'
= rallying cry
2 [N-COUNT]
A battle cry is a shout that soldiers give as they go into battle.cry off
[PHRASAL VERB] V P
If you cry off, you tell someone that you cannot do something that you have agreed or arranged to do.
Barron invited her to the races and she agreed, but she caught flu and had to cry off at the last minute.cry out
[PHRASAL VERB] V P in n, V P
If you cry out, you call out loudly because you are frightened, unhappy, or in pain.
He was crying out in pain on the ground when the ambulance arrived...
Hart cried out as his head struck rock.
see also cry 2ral|ly|ing cry (rallying cries)
[N-COUNT]
A rallying cry or rallying call is something such as a word or phrase, an event, or a belief which encourages people to unite and to act in support of a particular group or idea.
...an issue that is fast becoming a rallying cry for many Democrats: national health care.
1 [VERB] V, V, V with n, V-ing
When you cry, tears come from your eyes, usually because you are unhappy or hurt.
I hung up the phone and started to cry...
Please don't cry...
He cried with anger and frustration.
...a crying baby.
[N-SING]
Cry is also a noun.
A nurse patted me on the shoulder and said, `You have a good cry, dear.'
● crying [N-UNCOUNT] usu with poss
She had been unable to sleep for three days because of her 13-week-old son's crying.
2 [VERB] V with quote
If you cry something, you shout it or say it loudly.
`Nancy Drew,' she cried, `you're under arrest!'...
[PHRASAL VERB] V P with quote, V P that
Cry out means the same as cry.
`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.
3 [N-COUNT] oft N of n
A cry is a loud, high sound that you make when you feel a strong emotion such as fear, pain, or pleasure.
A cry of horror broke from me...
With a cry, she rushed forward.
4 [N-COUNT] oft N of/for n
A cry 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.
see also battle cry, rallying cry
= shout
5 [N-COUNT] usu N of/for n
You can refer to a public protest about something or an appeal for something as a cry of some kind. (JOURNALISM)
There have been cries of outrage about this expenditure...
6 [N-COUNT]
A bird's or animal's cry is the loud, high sound that it makes.
...the cry of a seagull.
= call
7
see also crying
8 [PHRASE] v-link PHR, PHR n
Something that is a far cry from something else is very different from it.
Their lives are a far cry from his own poor childhood.
9 [EXCLAM] PHR with cl
You use the expression for crying 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 crying out loud?
10
to cry your eyes out: see eye
a shoulder to cry on: see shoulderbat|tle cry (battle cries)
also battle-cry
1 [N-COUNT]
A battle cry is a phrase that is used to encourage people to support a particular cause or campaign.
Their battle-cry will be: `Sign this petition before they sign away your country.'
= rallying cry
2 [N-COUNT]
A battle cry is a shout that soldiers give as they go into battle.cry off
[PHRASAL VERB] V P
If you cry off, you tell someone that you cannot do something that you have agreed or arranged to do.
Barron invited her to the races and she agreed, but she caught flu and had to cry off at the last minute.cry out
[PHRASAL VERB] V P in n, V P
If you cry out, you call out loudly because you are frightened, unhappy, or in pain.
He was crying out in pain on the ground when the ambulance arrived...
Hart cried out as his head struck rock.
see also cry 2ral|ly|ing cry (rallying cries)
[N-COUNT]
A rallying cry or rallying call is something such as a word or phrase, an event, or a belief which encourages people to unite and to act in support of a particular group or idea.
...an issue that is fast becoming a rallying cry for many Democrats: national health care.