In a manner that is crying out; plainly obvious or conspicuously in need of something.
From 'crying' (from 'cry') plus '-ly' (manner adverb). 'A crying need' emerged as an expression meaning an urgent, obvious need that demands attention, and '-ly' converts it to describe how something appears or calls out.
The phrase 'crying need' is one of those beautiful idioms where 'crying' doesn't mean tears—it means the need itself is practically shouting for attention, making it one of the only times an emotion verb describes something other than people!
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