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Dictionary


cry



Pronunciation: (krī), [key]
—v., cried, cry•ing,
—n., pl. cries.

—v.i.
1. to utter inarticulate sounds, esp. of lamentation, grief, or suffering, usually with tears.
2. to weep; shed tears, with or without sound.
3. to call loudly; shout; yell (sometimes fol. by out).
4. to demand resolution or strongly indicate a particular disposition: The rise in crime cried out for greater police protection.
5. to give forth vocal sounds or characteristic calls, as animals; yelp; bark.
6. (of a hound or pack) to bay continuously and excitedly in following a scent.
7. (of tin) to make a noise, when bent, like the crumpling of paper.

—v.t.
1. to utter or pronounce loudly; call out.
2. to announce publicly as for sale; advertise: to cry one's wares.
3. to beg or plead for; implore: to cry mercy.
4. to bring (oneself) to a specified state by weeping: The infant cried itself to sleep.
5. cry down, to disparage; belittle: Those people cry down everyone who differs from them.
6. cry havoc. See havoc (def. 2).
7. cry off, to break a promise, agreement, etc.: We made arrangements to purchase a house, but the owner cried off at the last minute.
8. cry one's eyes or heart out, to cry excessively or inconsolably: The little girl cried her eyes out when her cat died.
9. cry over spilled or spilt milk. See milk (def. 4).
10. cry up, to praise; extol: to cry up one's profession.

—n.
1. the act or sound of crying; any loud utterance or exclamation; a shout, scream, or wail.
2. clamor; outcry.
3. a fit of weeping: to have a good cry.
4. the utterance or call of an animal.
5. a political or party slogan.
6. See battle cry.
7. an oral proclamation or announcement.
8. a call of wares for sale, services available, etc., as by a street vendor.
9. public report.
10. an opinion generally expressed.
11. an entreaty; appeal.
12. Fox Hunting.
a. a pack of hounds.
b. a continuous baying of a hound or a pack in following a scent.
13. a far cry,
a. quite some distance; a long way.
b. only remotely related; very different: This treatment is a far cry from that which we received before.
14. in full cry, in hot pursuit: The pack followed in full cry.

Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.

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See also:
  • cry (Thesaurus)

 

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