crocodile tears

noun

1. (used with a plural verb),  a hypocritical show of sorrow; insincere tears.

2. (used with a singular verb),  spontaneous tearing initiated by tasting or chewing food, occurring as a result of facial paralysis.

crocodile tears

plural noun

1. an insincere show of grief; false tears

crocodile tears

1. An insincere show of sympathy or sadness; crocodiles were once thought to “weep” large tears before they ate their victims: “Don't shed any crocodile tears for Fisher; I know you were responsible for his firing.”

Word History and Origins

Origin of crocodile tears¹

First recorded in 1555–65; so called from the ancient belief that crocodiles shed tears while eating their victims

Word History and Origins

Origin of crocodile tears¹

from the belief that crocodiles wept over their prey to lure further victims

Idioms and Phrases

An insincere display of grief, as in When the play's star broke her leg, her understudy wept crocodile tears. This term comes from the mistaken notion that crocodiles weep while eating their prey, one held in ancient Roman times. The actual term was picked up by Shakespeare and many other writers after him, and remains current. [Late 1500s]