crocodile tears

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See synonyms for crocodile tears on Thesaurus.com

noun

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

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

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Origin of crocodile tears

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

Words nearby crocodile tears

Crock-Pot, crocodile, crocodile bird, crocodile clip, Crocodile River, crocodile tears, crocodilian, crocoite, crocosmia, crocus, crocus sack

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use crocodile tears in a sentence

Though tissues are present and tears are not uncommon, the Dinner Parties are distinctly not grief counseling or group therapy.
Everyone at This Dinner Party Has Lost Someone|Samantha Levine|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Watching him now being accused of illegal operations will not see them shedding any tears.
Annoying Airport Delays Might Prevent You From Becoming the Next AirAsia 8501|Clive Irving|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST
To look at her in tears was to behold the enormity of her loss.
Funeral Protest Is Too Much for NYPD Union Boss|Michael Daly|January 5, 2015|DAILY BEAST
He was then literally slapped around by the high priest, who pulled on his ears in an effort to produce tears.
New Year’s Eve, Babylon Style|Candida Moss|December 31, 2014|DAILY BEAST

For nearly her entire life Beyoncé has been giving us her blood, sweat, and tears in her career.
Bow Down, Bitches: How Beyoncé Turned an Elevator Brawl Into a Perfect Year|Kevin Fallon|December 31, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He turned his eyes upon her; but no sympathy was in their beams; no belief in the semblance of her tears.
The Pastor's Fire-side Vol. 3 of 4|Jane Porter
Do not the widow's tears run down the cheek, and her cry against him that causeth them to fall?
The Bible, Douay-Rheims Version|Various
The tears came so fast to Mrs. Pontellier's eyes that the damp sleeve of her peignoir no longer served to dry them.
The Awakening and Selected Short Stories|Kate Chopin
He turned to the gentle accents of his sweet Alice, breathed in a letter which had been wet with her grateful tears.
The Pastor's Fire-side Vol. 3 of 4|Jane Porter
Tausig possessed this repose in a technical way, and his touch was marvellous; but he never drew the tears to your eyes.
Music-Study in Germany|Amy Fay

British Dictionary definitions for crocodile tears

crocodile tears

pl n

an insincere show of grief; false tears

Word Origin for crocodile tears

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

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Cultural definitions for crocodile tears

crocodile tears

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.”

Other Idioms and Phrases with crocodile tears

crocodile tears

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]