cry
A1neutral
Definition
Meaning
to produce tears from the eyes, typically as an expression of distress, pain, or sorrow
to shout or call out loudly; to make a characteristic sound (of an animal); to demand or require something urgently
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The verb 'cry' covers both the act of weeping and the act of shouting. Context usually disambiguates. The noun 'cry' can refer to the act/instance of crying, a shout, or a characteristic animal sound.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal. Both use 'cry' for weeping and shouting. In UK English, 'cry off' (to cancel plans) is more common. In US English, 'cry uncle' (to surrender) is idiomatic.
Connotations
Similar in both varieties. 'Cry' for weeping can imply vulnerability; for shouting, it can imply urgency or alarm.
Frequency
Equally frequent in both dialects for core meanings.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
cry (intransitive)cry + tears (object)cry + out (particle)cry + for + NP (e.g., cry for help)cry + over + NP (e.g., cry over spilt milk)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “cry over spilt milk”
- “a far cry from”
- “cry wolf”
- “cry one's eyes/heart out”
- “in full cry”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rarely used literally. Figuratively: 'The data cries out for analysis.'
Academic
Used in literary analysis ('the character's cry of despair') or in phrases like 'a cry for justice'.
Everyday
Very common for emotional weeping ('The baby is crying') or shouting ('He cried out in surprise').
Technical
In medicine/psychology: 'crying' as a behavioural response. In ornithology/zoology: animal cries.
Examples
By Part of Speech
noun
British English
- She had a good cry during the film.
- The cry of the fox echoed in the night.
- It's a far cry from the luxury we were promised.
American English
- Let it out—have a cry if you need to.
- A cry of alarm came from the street.
- Her latest album is a far cry from her first.
verb
British English
- The toddler started to cry when his ice cream fell.
- She cried off from the meeting at the last minute.
- 'Look out!' he cried.
American English
- The baby cried all night.
- I'm not going to cry over spilt milk.
- Protesters cried 'Justice now!'
adverb
British English
- N/A (No standard adverb form.)
American English
- N/A (No standard adverb form.)
adjective
British English
- N/A (No standard adjective form. 'Crying' is a participle.)
American English
- N/A (No standard adjective form. 'Crying' is a participle.)
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The baby is crying.
- Don't cry, it's okay.
- I heard a cry.
- She cried with joy when she heard the news.
- He cried out in pain after stubbing his toe.
- The seagulls' cries filled the harbour.
- It's no use crying over spilt milk; we need to find a solution.
- The documentary is a far cry from the cheerful travel shows she usually presents.
- Protesters gathered, their cries for change growing louder.
- The novel's protagonist is portrayed as a voice crying in the wilderness, ignored by a complacent society.
- His actions cried out for an explanation, yet none was forthcoming.
- The critic argued that the artist's later work was a far cry from the radicalism of her youth.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a baby's 'CRY' – it's both a loud sound and involves tears.
Conceptual Metaphor
EMOTION IS A FLUID (tears overflow); A PUBLIC APPEAL IS A LOUD SOUND (a cry for reform).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not use 'cry' for every instance of Russian 'плакать'. 'Weep' and 'sob' are more specific. Russian 'кричать' is usually 'shout' or 'yell', not 'cry', unless it's 'cry out'. Avoid translating 'a far cry from' literally.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'cry' instead of 'shout' in neutral contexts (e.g., 'He cried my name' can sound overly dramatic). Confusing 'cry' (weep) with 'cry' (shout) in translation.
Practice
Quiz
In the idiom 'a far cry from', what does 'cry' most closely mean?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Cry' is the general, neutral term. 'Weep' is more literary/formal and often implies quieter, flowing tears. 'Sob' suggests noisier, convulsive crying with gasps.
Yes, but typically for the sounds they make (e.g., 'seagulls cry', 'wolf's cry'), not for emotional weeping, which is attributed to humans.
It is regular. Past tense and past participle: 'cried'.
It's a phrasal verb (more common in UK English) meaning to withdraw from a promise or arrangement, especially at the last minute.
Collections
Part of a collection
Emotions and Feelings
A2 · 33 words · Words to describe how you feel.