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To cry wolf is an expression, not an idiom. It means to raise false alarms.
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"The Boy Who Cried Wolf" is a relatively modern (within the past few hundred years) parable, a story designed to teach a lesson. There was a village that was being terrorized by wolves. One day a boy in the village started shouting, "Wolf! Wolf!" All of the villagers dropped what they were doing and came running to help the boy, but when they got to him, there were no wolves, and the boy was laughing like crazy, delighting in the power his cries for help had over the other villagers. A few days later he did the same thing, hungry again for that feeling of power and being the center of attention. Again the villagers came running, and seeing that there was again no real danger became more annoyed with the boy. Several days later the boy was out playing when he failed to see the most vicious of the wolves sneaking up on him. Suddenly the wolf was attacking him. He cried, "Wolf! Wolf!" Not wanting to be made fools of again, the other villagers ignored him, and the wolf killed the boy.
These days, governments are hesitant to sound evacuation alarms due to an oncoming hurricane or tsunami, an imminently erupting volcano, etc. until they're reasonably sure that a real threat exists, because they know that if they sound the alarms and nothing happens, the public will be less likely to evacuate the next time the alarms sound.
On the Lighter Side
While you cannot falsely yell "Fire!" in a crowded movie house without getting in trouble, it is quite alright to yell "Movie!" in a crowded firehouse.
What else can I help you with?
What does act like a wolf mean?
It's not an idiom because you can figure it out without someone telling you the answer. When you see the words "like" or "as" you're looking at a simile - a type of comparison. This simile is comparing your behavior to a savage wolf, so they're saying you're rough and unfriendly and probably growling at people like a wolf would.
What does the idiom Don't wake a sleeping wolf mean?
The idiom Don't wake a sleeping wolf simply means, when a wolf is asleep it poses no threat, but it can be if awakened. The idiom needs put into a surrounding context in order to make sense.Example: The old man complained that government cut his pension by $50.00 a month. "I'm gonna tell the governor they can't do this to the elderly!" The man's friend speculated the government might also cut their healthcare benefits. "No," he says to his friend, "don't wake a sleeping wolf. The more we complain, the more things they'll find to take away from us."
What does the idiom itchy nose mean?
It is not an idiom, it means your nose is itching.
What is the idiom of insincerity?
An example of an Idiom for Insincerity is: The cat weeping over the mouse [that he has just eaten]. a wolf in sheep's clothing pulling the wool over someone's eyes
What does idiom mean in poetry?
idiom means expression like a page in a book
Which idiom is this i felt like crying?
This is not an idiom. It means exactly what it looks like -- you felt the emotion that would lead you to start crying.
What does drive the wolf from the door mean?
"Wolf at the door" is an idiom referring to hunger, so if you drive the wolf away, you're keeping yourself from starving.
What are the release dates for Crying Wolf - 2011?
Crying Wolf - 2011 was released on: USA: 12 September 2011
What are the release dates for Crying Wolf - 1947?
Crying Wolf - 1947 was released on: USA: 10 January 1947
What actors and actresses appeared in The Lunar Pack - 2004?
The cast of The Lunar Pack - 2004 includes: Sade Barfield Paul Dalhover as EMT (segment "Crying Wolf") Mary Guyer as Witness (segment "Crying Wolf") Xena Liquori Annie Maleski as Tracy (segment "Crying Wolf") Melissa Morse as Rose LeNoire (segment "Dark Rose: The 700 Year Itch") Juliet Reeves as Jessie Jonathan Shane Ferrell as Billy Joe (segment "Crying Wolf") Noopur Shukla as Witness (segment "Crying Wolf") Lisandra Vazquez as Witness (segment "Crying Wolf") Jeremy Weibe as EMT (segment "Crying Wolf") Keighley White
What are the release dates for Crying Wolf - 2013?
Crying Wolf - 2013 was released on: USA: 13 December 2013 (Springfield, Missouri) (premiere)
What is burst into tears?
It is an idiom or turn of phrase that generally means to immediately start crying.
What does act like a wolf mean?
It's not an idiom because you can figure it out without someone telling you the answer. When you see the words "like" or "as" you're looking at a simile - a type of comparison. This simile is comparing your behavior to a savage wolf, so they're saying you're rough and unfriendly and probably growling at people like a wolf would.
What is the origin of the idiom to wolf down?
To eat very quickly and greedily, as if you are starving.
What does the idiom 'to cry your heart out' mean?
Have you ever HAD a good cry - one where you just sobbed and sobbed until you could barely breathe? Didn't it feel as if everything in your chest was just coming up out of your throat? That's what "crying your heart out" means - crying so hard that it seems your body is turning inside out, crying until every last drop of emotion is wrung out of you.
Can you give a sample sentence using the idiom cry wolf?
when i went back to my apartmemt their was a big cry wolf in room 208.
What are the ratings and certificates for The Vampire Diaries - 2009 Crying Wolf 2-14?
The Vampire Diaries - 2009 Crying Wolf 2-14 is rated/received certificates of: Netherlands:12 USA:TV-14
