Cry

v. i. [imp. & p. p. CRIED; p. pr. & vb. n. CRYING.] [Fr. crier, Pr. & O. Sp. cridar, It. gridare, Sp. & Pg. gritar, from Lat. quiritare, to raise a plaintive cry, scream, shriek, v. freq. of queri, to complain. Cf. also A-S. grædan, to cry, grætan, to weep, cry out, O. Sax. griotan, Goth. gretan, Icel. grata, Sw. gråta, Dan. græde, D. kryten.] 1. To utter a loud voice; to speak, call, or exclaim loudly, vehemently, or earnestly; to vociferate; to proclaim; to pray. *Yet cried they out like vultures, and urged on As if they would precipitate our fate. B. Jonson.* *Clapping their hands, and crying with loud voice, Jesu maintain your excellency. 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. 2. To utter a loud sound expressive of pain, grief, or distress; to lament audibly; to express sorrow by weeping and sobbing; to bawl, as a child. I could find it in my heart to disgrace my man's apparel, and to cry like a woman. Shak. My servants shall sing for joy of heart, but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart. Isa. lxv. 14. 3. To utter sounds that are not speech; to give forth inarticulate sounds, as animals. *In a cowslip's bell I lie; There I crouch when owls do cry. Shak.* He giveth the beast his food, and to the young ravens which cry. Ps. cxlvii. 9. To cry out, to exclaim; to vociferate; to scream; to clamor. — To cry out against, to complain loudly of with a view to censure; to blame. — To cry to, to call on in prayer; to implore. — To cry you mercy, to beg your pardon. “I cry you mercy, madam; was it you?” Shak.

v. t. 1. To utter loudly; to utter; to sound abroad. Let them all, All, all cry shame against ye, yet I'll speak. Shak. 2. To make oral and public proclamation of; to notify or advertise by outcry, especially things lost or found, goods to be sold, &c.; as, to cry goods, &c. Then, of their session ended, they bid cry, With trumpet’s regal sound, the great result. Milton. To cry aim, to encourage; — a phrase apparently derived from archery. The traitors once dispatched, To it, and we’ll cry aim. Beau. & Fl. — To cry up, to enhance the value or reputation of by public and noisy praise; to extol. — To cry down, to decry; to depreciate; to dispraise; to condemn. Men of dissolute lives cry down religion, because they would not be under the restraints of it. Tillotson.

n.; pl. CRIES. [Fr. cri, Pr. crida, O. Sp. crida, grida, It. grido, grida, Sp. & Pg. grito, grita. See supra.]

1Sense 1. A loud utterance; especially, the inarticulate and unintelligent sound produced by one of the lower animals.

These yelling monsters that with ceaseless cry Surround me. Milton.

2Sense 2. Utterance or outcry; clamor; exclamation.

The cry is still, “They come.” Shak.

3Sense 3. Loud expression of triumph or wonder; of pain or distress, &c.; importunate supplication.

O, the piteous cry of the poor souls. Shak.

4Sense 4. Public advertisement by outcry; proclamation, as by hawkers of their wares. “The street cries of London.” Mayhew.

5Sense 5. (a.) A pack of hounds. (b.) A pack or company of persons; — in contempt.

A cry more tunable Was never hollaed to or cheered with horn. Shak.

Would not this . . . get me fellowship in a cry of players? Shak.