Cry wolf

Meaning

The idiom "cry wolf" means to make a false accusation or warning, often as a form of manipulation or deception. It is derived from the fable about a shepherd who repeatedly cries "wolf!" to scare off his flock of sheep, but eventually no one believes him when he truly calls out for help.

Usage

• She was accused of stealing money from the company, but it turned out to be just another case of crying wolf.
• The politician cried wolf on social media, making outrageous claims without any evidence.
• After being falsely accused, John called out his coworker for crying wolf.
• When the fire alarm went off in the middle of the night, Sarah rolled her eyes and muttered under her breath, "What now? Just another false alarm."
• The whistleblower was branded as a crybaby when their accusations against the company turned out to be unfounded.

Roots and History

The earliest known use of the idiom "cry wolf" dates back to the 16th century. It comes from the fable "The Wolf in Sheep's Clothing," which was written by Aesop in 525 BCE. The story tells of a shepherd who repeatedly cries "wolf!" to scare off his flock of sheep, but eventually no one believes him when he truly calls out for help. Over time, the idiom has come to be used more broadly to refer to anyone who makes false accusations or warnings.

Synonyms in English

• Falsely accuse
• Exaggerate
• Scaremonger
• Hype up
• Dramatize

Synonyms in other languages

• 哀泣 (Chinese) - cry tears of sadness or grief
• צועה (Hebrew) - cry out in pain or distress
• מים תקסר (Hebrew) - cry bitter tears
• ¡Venga! (Spanish) - come on, let's go! (used to express excitement or enthusiasm)
• ¡Sígueme! (Spanish) - follow me! (used to encourage someone to come along)

Similar Idioms

• cross paths

• closed book

• code of conduct