cry

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
cry/krʌɪ/

▶verb (cries, crying, cried)

• 1 shed tears.

• 2 shout or scream loudly.

  ■ (of a hawker) proclaim (wares) for sale.

• 3 (of a bird or other animal) make a loud characteristic call.

• 4 (cry out for) demand as a self-evident requirement or solution: the scheme is crying out for reform.

• 5 (cry off) informal go back on a promise or fail to keep to an arrangement.

• 6 (cry someone/thing up or down) dated disparage (or praise) someone or something.

▶noun (pl. cries)

• 1 a loud shout or scream.

  ■ an urgent appeal or entreaty.

• 2 a spell of weeping.

• 3 a distinctive call of a bird or other animal.

– phrases
cry for the moon ask for what is unattainable or impossible.
for crying out loud informal used to express irritation or impatience.

– origin ME: from OFr. crier (v.), cri (n.), from L. quiritare ‘raise a public outcry’, lit. ‘call on the Quirites (Roman citizens) for help’.