To raise a false alarm; to constantly warn others about an imagined threat, thereby failing to get assistance when a real threat appears.
Etymology:
- From the fable The Boy Who Cried Wolf, where a little boy amuses himself by crying "wolf" to see the panic he causes in the community, but consequently does not get help when a real wolf appears.
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The politicians would cry wolf at the slightest provocation so when the real threat appeared no one believed them.
Submitted on September 01, 2009
Additional definitions for 'cry wolf':
| Cry Wolf | To send out a wrong signal of any threat or impending danger, a false alarm |
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"cry wolf." Phrases.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 21 Nov. 2024. <https://www.phrases.com/phrase/cry-wolf_3100>.
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