- [countable] a loud sound without words that expresses a strong feeling
- cry of something to give a cry of anguish/despair/pain/joy/alarm, etc.
- A passer-by heard her muffled cries.
- a baby's cries
Extra Examples- An involuntary cry escaped her as he entered the room.
- He fell to the ground with a cry.
- He was too weak to raise even the smallest of cries.
- She gave an agonized cry as they lifted the fallen branch from her leg.
- She stifled a small cry.
- He gave a loud cry of despair.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- great
- loud
- faint
- …
- give
- let out
- raise
- …
- echo
- go up
- ring out
- …
- with a cry
- cry for
- cry of
- …
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- [countable] a loud shout
- With a cry of ‘Stop thief!’ he ran after the boy.
- Her answer was greeted with cries of outrage.
- He tried to yell out, but the hand muffled his cries.
- She heard cries in the distance.
- a plaintive cry for help
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- great
- loud
- faint
- …
- give
- let out
- raise
- …
- echo
- go up
- ring out
- …
- with a cry
- cry for
- cry of
- …
- [countable] the sound made by a bird or an animal
- the cry of gulls circling overhead
Extra Examples- the hoarse cry of a crow
- The eagle gave a cry as it circled overhead.
- [countable] a demand or request for something that is needed immediately
- cry for something Her behaviour at school was really a cry for help.
- a cry for justice
- We need a new leader who's ready to hear the cry of the people.
- [singular] an action or a period of crying
- I felt a lot better after a good long cry.
- You'll feel better when you've had a good cry.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- good
- little
- have
- [countable] (especially in compounds) a word or phrase that expresses a group’s beliefs and calls people to action
- a battle cry
- His speech attacking the government has proved a rallying cry for party dissidents.
Word OriginMiddle English (in the sense ‘ask for earnestly or loudly’): from Old French crier (verb), cri (noun), from Latin quiritare ‘raise a public outcry’, literally ‘call on the Quirites (Roman citizens) for help’.
Idioms
See cry in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee cry in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic Englisha far cry from something
- a very different experience from something synonym remote
- All this luxury was a far cry from the poverty of his childhood.
hue and cry
- strong public protest about something
- Further cuts in welfare have raised a hue and cry among the American public.
in full cry
- talking or shouting loudly and in an enthusiastic way
- The Leeds supporters were in full cry.
Check pronunciation:
cry