cry Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a loud utterance; often in protest or opposition
    shout; call; outcry; vociferation; yell.
    • the speaker was interrupted by loud cries from the rear of the audience
  2. noun a loud utterance of emotion (especially when inarticulate)
    yell.
    • a cry of rage
    • a yell of pain
  3. noun a slogan used to rally support for a cause
    rallying cry; war cry; watchword; battle cry.
    • a cry to arms
    • our watchword will be `democracy'
  4. noun a fit of weeping
    • had a good cry
  5. noun the characteristic utterance of an animal
    • animal cries filled the night
  6. verb utter a sudden loud cry
    hollo; squall; shout; call; holler; yell; scream; shout out.
    • she cried with pain when the doctor inserted the needle
    • I yelled to her from the window but she couldn't hear me
  7. verb shed tears because of sadness, rage, or pain
    weep.
    • She cried bitterly when she heard the news of his death
    • The girl in the wheelchair wept with frustration when she could not get up the stairs
  8. verb utter aloud; often with surprise, horror, or joy
    exclaim; call out; cry out; shout; outcry.
    • `I won!' he exclaimed
    • `Help!' she cried
    • `I'm here,' the mother shouted when she saw her child looking lost
  9. verb proclaim or announce in public
    blazon out.
    • before we had newspapers, a town crier would cry the news
    • He cried his merchandise in the market square
  10. verb demand immediate action
    • This situation is crying for attention
  11. verb utter a characteristic sound
    • The cat was crying
  12. verb bring into a particular state by crying
    • The little boy cried himself to sleep

WordNet

Cry intransitive verb
Etymology
F. crier, cf. L. quiritare to raise a plaintive cry, scream, shriek, perh. fr. queri to complain; cf. Skr. cvas to pant, hiss, sigh. Cf. Quarrel a brawl, Querulous.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Cried present participle & verbal noun Crying
Definitions
  1. To make a loud call or cry; to call or exclaim vehemently or earnestly; to shout; to vociferate; to proclaim; to pray; to implore.
    And about the ninth hour, Jesus cried with a loud voice. Matt. xxvii. 46.
    Clapping their hands, and crying with loud voice. Shak.
    Hear the voice of my supplications when I cry unto thee. Ps. xxviii. 2.
    The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord. Is. xl. 3.
    Some cried after him to return. Bunyan.
  2. To utter lamentations; to lament audibly; to express pain, grief, or distress, by weeping and sobbing; to shed tears; to bawl, as a child.
    Ye shall cry for sorrow of heart. Is. lxv. 14.
    I could find it in my heart to disgrace my man's apparel and to cry like a woman. Shak.
  3. To utter inarticulate sounds, as animals.
    The young ravens which cry. Ps. cxlvii. 9.
    In a cowslip's bell I lie There I couch when owls do cry. Shak.
Cry transitive verb
Definitions
  1. To utter loudly; to call out; to shout; to sound abroad; to declare publicly.
    All, all, cry shame against ye, yet I 'll speak. Shak.
    The man . . . ran on,crying, Life! life! Eternal life! Bunyan.
  2. To cause to do something, or bring to some state, by crying or weeping; as, to cry one's self to sleep.
  3. To make oral and public proclamation of; to declare publicly; to notify or advertise by outcry, especially things lost or found, goods to be sold, ets.; as, to cry goods, etc.
    Love is lost, and thus she cries him. Crashaw.
  4. Hence, to publish the banns of, as for marriage.
    I should not be surprised if they were cried in church next Sabbath. Judd.
Cry noun
Etymology
F. cri, fr. crier to cry. See Cry, v. i.
Wordforms
plural Cries
Definitions
  1. A loud utterance; especially, the inarticulate sound produced by one of the lower animals; as, the cry of hounds; the cry of wolves. Milton.
  2. Outcry; clamor; tumult; popular demand.
    Again that cry was found to have been as unreasonable as ever. Macaulay.
  3. Any expression of grief, distress, etc., accompanied with tears or sobs; a loud sound, uttered in lamentation.
    There shall be a great cry throughout all the land. Ex. xi. 6.
    An infant crying in the night, An infant crying for the light; And with no language but a cry. Tennyson.
  4. Loud expression of triumph or wonder or of popular acclamation or favor. Swift.
    The cry went once on thee. Shak.
  5. Importunate supplication.
    O, the most piteous cry of the poor souls. Shak.
  6. Public advertisement by outcry; proclamation, as by hawkers of their wares.
    The street cries of London. Mayhew.
  7. Common report; fame.
    The cry goes that you shall marry her. Shak.
  8. A word or phrase caught up by a party or faction and repeated for effect; as, the party cry of the Tories.
    All now depends upon a good cry. Beaconsfield.
  9. A pack of hounds. Milton.
    A cry more tunable Was never hollaed to, nor cheered with horn. Shak.
  10. A pack or company of persons; -- in contempt.
    Would not this . . . get me a fellowship in a cry of players? Shak.
  11. The cracklling noise made by block tin when it is bent back and forth.

Webster 1913