crocodile tears
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.
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
crockett, davy,
crockford,
crocodile,
crocodile bird,
crocodile clip,
crocodile tears,
crocodile tears syndrome,
crocodilian,
crocoite,
crocosmia,
crocus
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
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.”
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]