To cry is to shed tears, often because of strong feelings like sadness, pain, or joy. As a noun, a cry is either the sound of someone shouting or weeping, or the act of crying itself.
From Old French *crier* “to shout, proclaim,” from Latin *quiritare* “to raise a public outcry.” The tearful sense developed as strong emotions often come with loud sounds and tears.
Humans are unusual animals because we cry visible emotional tears, not just reflex tears. That salty water is basically a built-in social signal saying, “I’m overwhelmed—please pay attention.”
Crying has been gendered in many cultures, with women stereotyped as overly emotional and men discouraged from crying at all. Language around crying has often been used to delegitimize women’s grievances and to police men’s emotional expression.
Use 'cry' neutrally for people of any gender, and avoid mocking or dismissive phrases like 'crying like a girl.'
["weep","shed tears","express emotion"]
Women’s public expressions of grief and protest—often dismissed as 'just crying'—have driven social movements, from mothers of the disappeared in Latin America to civil rights activism worldwide.
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