cry verb
1 produce tears
ADV. a lot | a little | almost, nearly | never, rarely | bitterly He put his head on his arms and cried bitterly. | loudly | quietly, silently, softly | uncontrollably | alone
VERB + CRY begin to, start to | make sb | leave sb to children who are left to cry alone
PREP. about What are you crying about? | for a child crying for his mother | over I wasn't going to waste time crying over him! | with Anna was almost crying with frustration.
PHRASES cry like a baby Finally he broke down and cried like a baby. | cry your eyes out, cry yourself to sleep, feel like crying I felt like crying when I found out what had happened. | a shoulder to cry on (figurative) He was a fatherly shoulder to cry on when things went wrong.
2 shout
ADV. aloud, out | suddenly | angrily, indignantly ‘Never!’ he cried angrily. | despairingly, desperately | excitedly | passionately, wildly
VERB + CRY want to She wanted to cry out to him not to be so stupid. | hear sb I heard her cry out in her sleep.
PREP. in ‘What do you mean?’ she cried in agitation. ‘Who's there?’ she cried in a shrill voice.
PHRASES cry for help She cried for help as the fire spread. | cry out in anguish/fear/pain