Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English - cry

~1 v past tense and past participle cried present participle crying 1 »PRODUCE TEARS« to produce tears from your eyes, usually because you are unhappy or hurt  (Don't cry, Laura. It's OK. | I always cry at weddings.) + over/abou  (I know it's stupid to cry over something so unimportant.) + with/in  (Zack began to cry with frustration.) + for  (The baby was crying for attention.) cry your eyes out/cry your heart out informal (=be extremely sad and cry a lot) | cry yourself to sleep (=cry until you fall asleep) 2 »SAY LOUDLY« to shout something loudly  ("Stop!" she cried.) 3 »ANIMALS/BIRDS« if animals and birds cry they make a loud sound  (seagulls on the cliffs crying loudly) 4 cry on sb's shoulder informal to tell someone why you are unhappy or worried  (I've had Glen crying on my shoulder all afternoon about his love life.) 5 cry over spilt milk to waste time feeling sorry about an earlier mistake or problem that cannot be changed  (It's no use crying over spilt milk.) 6 cry into your beer informal to feel too much pity for yourself, especially because you think you have been treated unfairly 7 cry wolf to ask for help when you do not need it, so that people do not believe you when you really need help 8 for crying out loud spoken used when you feel annoyed or impatient with someone  (For crying out loud, stop nagging me about it!) 9 literary to make something known to the public by shouting  (cry your wares)  (market traders crying their wares)  (- see also cry for the moon moon1 (4)) cry off phr v BrE to say that you will not do something that you have already promised to do  (Paul tried to cry off at the last moment saying he had to work late.) cry out phr v 1 to make a loud sound of fear, shock, pain etc  (He was in a lot of pain, but he didn't cry out.) + in/with  (Even the smallest movement made him cry out in pain.) 2 to shout something loudly  (Maria cried out sharply, "Don't touch it!") + for  (I was so scared, I couldn't even cry out for help.) 3 be crying out for informal to need something urgently  (The kitchen is crying out for a coat of paint.) 4 cry out against to complain strongly or protest strongly about something ~2 n plural cries 1 »SOUND EXPRESSING FEELING« a loud sound showing fear, pain, shock etc  (a baby's cry | a cry of alarm/anger/despair etc)  (A cry of protest rose from the crowd. | a cry of delight | give a cry/let out a cry)  (Hugh let out a startled cry as he fell into the water.) 2 »SHOUT« a loud shout  (As they left the stage there were cries of "More! More!") 3 »ANIMAL/BIRD« a sound made by a particular animal  (the cries of seagulls wheeling over the docks) 4 »TIME WHEN SB CRIES« especially BrE a period of time during which you cry  (have a cry)  (You'll feel better after you've had a good cry.) 5 be a far cry from informal to be very different from something else  (It was a far cry from the leafy suburbs she was used to.) 6 cry for help something someone says or does that shows that they are very unhappy and need help  (Janie's suicide attempt was obviously a cry for help.) 7 »PHRASE« a phrase that is used to unite people in support of a particular action or idea; slogan  (war/battle cry (=a phrase shouted at the enemy in a fight)) 8 in full cry a) if someone is in full cry they are strongly or loudly criticizing someone or something  (The Democrats were in full cry over Reagan's defence spending plans.) b) if a group of dogs is in full cry, they are making loud noises as they hunt an animal  (- see also hue and cry)