Crying with tears flowing freely, typically as an expression of deep sadness, grief, or overwhelming emotion. Involves the physical act of shedding tears along with emotional release.
From Old English 'wēpan' (to cry, lament). The word has maintained its basic meaning across all Germanic languages for over 1000 years, always referring to the combination of tears and emotional expression.
Weeping serves multiple biological functions - tears contain stress hormones that are literally flushed from our system, while the act of crying releases endorphins and oxytocin, creating a natural emotional reset that helps us process overwhelming feelings!
Weeping historically coded as feminine weakness in literature and philosophy, contrasted with masculine stoicism. Victorian and classical traditions gendered emotional display through this dichotomy.
Weeping is a valid human emotional response across genders; avoid using it to imply weakness or femininity.
["crying","expressing emotion","grieving"]
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