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📕 rednote ID(小红书号)：3881567312

Cry Meaning, Usage, and Common Mistakes Explained (3 meaning)

Meaning 1：shed tears (cry)

cry 🔊

/kraɪ/

To have tears come from your eyes because you feel very sad, happy, or hurt.

Cry shedding tears close-up child sad face

shed tears 🔊

➕

/ʃɛd tɪərz/

To produce tears from the eyes as a result of strong emotion such as sadness, joy, or pain.

📁 Category：Physical & Mental Health 🔖 Level：beginner

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

From Old French 'crier' (to shout), from Latin 'quiritare' (to wail or shriek).

💡 Mnemonic

Imagine a baby 'crying' loudly (kraɪ) – the sound 'cry' mimics the wail.

📖 Example

The little girl began to cry when she couldn't find her favorite toy. 🔊 The little girl began to shed tears when she couldn't find her favorite toy.

🔗 Collocations

cry bitterly – to weep with great sadness

cry tears of joy – to cry due to happiness

make someone cry – to cause a person to weep

🔄 Synonyms

weep (v.) – to cry softly, often with prolonged tears

sob (v.) – to cry with convulsive gasps and audible sounds

wail (v.) – to cry out loudly in grief or pain

🚫 Antonyms

laugh (v.) – to express joy or amusement with sounds and facial expressions

rejoice (v.) – to feel or show great joy

🌱 Derivatives

crier (n.) – a person who cries or announces something

crying (adj.) – very urgent or compelling (e.g., a crying need)

📖 Cultural Story

In modern English, 'cry' is used in both literal weeping and figurative shouting (e.g., 'cry for help'). It appears in idioms like 'far cry' (very different) and 'cry over spilt milk'.

Meaning 2：shout loudly (cry)

cry 🔊

/kraɪ/

To shout or say something very loudly, often to get attention or because you are afraid.

Cry shouting loudly sports stadium excited crowd

shout loudly 🔊

➕

/ʃaʊt ˈlaʊdli/

To call out or exclaim very loudly, often to attract attention or express strong emotion such as fear or excitement.

📁 Category：Behaviors & Actions 🔖 Level：beginner

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Example

During the school sports day, we all cry out to cheer for our friends running on the track. 🔊 During the school sports day, we all shout loudly to cheer for our friends running on the track.

🔗 Collocations

cry out – to shout suddenly in pain, fear, or surprise

cry for help – to shout for assistance in an emergency

cry aloud – to shout with a loud voice

🔄 Synonyms

shout (v.) – to speak very loudly, often to be heard over distance or noise

yell (v.) – to shout in a loud, sharp way, often in anger or excitement

scream (v.) – to make a loud, high-pitched cry, especially from fear or pain

🚫 Antonyms

whisper (v.) – to speak very softly, using the breath without vibrating the vocal cords

murmur (v.) – to speak in a low, indistinct voice

🌱 Derivatives

cry (n.) – a loud shout or exclamation

outcry (n.) – a strong public expression of protest or anger

Meaning 3：make animal call (cry)

cry 🔊

/kraɪ/

To make a loud, typical sound that a particular animal or bird makes.

Cry animal call crow perched branch open beak

make animal call 🔊

➕

/meɪk ˈænɪməl kɔːl/

To produce the characteristic loud sound of certain animals or birds, such as crows, geese, or seagulls.

📁 Category：Animal Protection 🔖 Level：intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Example

I woke up early this morning, hearing a crow cry outside my window. 🔊 I woke up early this morning, hearing a crow make its animal call outside my window.

🔗 Collocations

cry of a bird – the distinctive sound made by a bird

animal cry – the typical vocalization of an animal

cry of a wolf – the howling sound made by a wolf

🔄 Synonyms

call (v./n.) – the sound made by a bird or animal (e.g., bird call)

howl (v.) – to make a long, loud, mournful cry, typical of wolves or dogs

screech (v.) – to make a loud, harsh, piercing cry, as of an owl or monkey