Idiom
Crocodile tears
Crocodile tears are fake tears or a false show of sadness from someone who is not really sorry.
How people use it
The usual verbs are cry, shed or weep: "She cried crocodile tears." People use the phrase to accuse someone of pretending to be upset to win sympathy or avoid blame, such as a child caught misbehaving or a company issuing a hollow apology. Calling someone's sadness crocodile tears is a criticism, since it says you think they are insincere. The phrase does not have to involve real tears; any fake show of regret can count. It is neutral in register and common in news writing as well as everyday talk.
Also said: cry crocodile tears, shed crocodile tears.
Examples
- He cried crocodile tears over the broken vase, but we all saw him kick the ball.
- The coach brushed off the rival team's crocodile tears about the referee.
- Don't shed crocodile tears for me, since you wanted that job too.
Where it comes from
The phrase comes from an old belief that crocodiles weep while they eat their prey, or weep to lure victims closer. The story appears in medieval travel writing, including the famous book of travels credited to Sir John Mandeville in the 1300s, and Shakespeare and other writers used the image. Crocodiles and their relatives do shed tears to keep their eyes moist, and some have been seen tearing up while feeding, but there is no sign of sorrow.
Check yourself
1. What does it mean if someone is crying crocodile tears?
Answer: They are pretending to be sad. Crocodile tears are a fake show of sadness.
2. Which sentence uses the idiom correctly?
Answer: After winning the bet, Sam shed crocodile tears about taking our money.. Sam is not really sorry, so his sadness is fake.
Similar idioms
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