Crocodile tears

Crocodile tears
Crocodile Croc"o*dile (kr[o^]k"[-o]*d[imac]l; 277), n. [L. crocodilus, Gr. kroko`deilos: cf. F. crocodile. Cf. {Cookatrice}.] 1. (Zo["o]l.) A large reptile of the genus {Crocodilus}, of several species. They grow to the length of sixteen or eighteen feet, and inhabit the large rivers of Africa, Asia, and America. The eggs, laid in the sand, are hatched by the sun's heat. The best known species is that of the Nile ({Crocodilus vulgaris}, or {Crocodilus Niloticus}). The Florida crocodile ({Crocodilus Americanus}) is much less common than the alligator and has longer jaws. The name is also sometimes applied to the species of other related genera, as the gavial and the alligator. [1913 Webster]

2. (Logic) A fallacious dilemma, mythically supposed to have been first used by a crocodile. [1913 Webster]

{Crocodile bird} (Zo["o]l.), an African plover ({Pluvianus [ae]gypticus}) which alights upon the crocodile and devours its insect parasites, even entering its open mouth (according to reliable writers) in pursuit of files, etc.; -- called also {Nile bird}. It is the {trochilos} of ancient writers.

{Crocodile tears}, false or affected tears; hypocritical sorrow; -- derived from the fiction of old travelers, that crocodiles shed tears over their prey. [1913 Webster] ||


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • Crocodile Tears — Auteur Anthony Horowitz Genre Aventure, Espionnage Pays d origine Royaume Uni Traducteur Annick Le Goyat Éditeur Livre de Poche Jeunesse Date de parution …   Wikipédia en Français

  • crocodile tears — If someone cries crocodile tears, they pretend to be upset or affected by something …   The small dictionary of idiomes

  • crocodile tears — n. insincere tears or a hypocritical show of grief: from an old belief that crocodiles shed tears while eating their prey …   English World dictionary

  • crocodile tears — ► PLURAL NOUN ▪ insincere tears or expressions of sorrow. ORIGIN said to be so named from a belief that crocodiles wept while devouring or luring their prey …   English terms dictionary

  • Crocodile tears — For other uses, see Crocodile tears (disambiguation). Crocodile tears (or superficial sympathy) are a false or insincere display of emotion such as a hypocrite crying fake tears of grief. The phrase gives its name to crocodile tears syndrome, an… …   Wikipedia

  • crocodile tears — noun a hypocritical display of sorrow; false or insincere weeping the secretaries wept crocodile tears over the manager s dilemma politicians shed crocodile tears over the plight of the unemployed • Hypernyms: ↑hypocrisy, ↑lip service * * * noun… …   Useful english dictionary

  • Crocodile Tears — For other uses, see Crocodile tears (disambiguation). Crocodile Tears   …   Wikipedia

  • crocodile tears —    If someone cries crocodile tears, they pretend to be upset or affected by something.   (Dorking School Dictionary)    ***    To shed crocodile tears means to shed false tears or show insincere grief.     Caroline pretended to be sad but we all …   English Idioms & idiomatic expressions

  • crocodile tears — N PLURAL If someone is crying crocodile tears, their tears and sadness are not genuine or sincere. The sight of George shedding crocodile tears made me sick …   English dictionary

  • crocodile tears — {n.} Pretended grief; a show of sorrow that is not really felt. * /When his rich uncle died, leaving him his money, John shed crocodile tears./ (From the old legend that crocodiles make weeping sounds to attract victims and then shed tears while… …   Dictionary of American idioms

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