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You are here: Home / Language / What Does “Shedding Crocodile Tears” Mean and Where Did the Expression Come From?

What Does “Shedding Crocodile Tears” Mean and Where Did the Expression Come From?

July 1, 2020 by Karen Hill

Crocodiles have a nasty habit of sounding like a baby crying, which can attract naive human prey.

While lying motionless in the sun, often hidden by tall grass, a crocodile waiting for lunch might leave its mouth open.

This puts pressure on its tear glands, causing the illusion of crying.

Like their phony human counterparts, they shed tears without any sense of contrition or sadness.

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Filed Under: Language

About Karen Hill

Karen Hill is a freelance writer, editor, and columnist. Born in New York, her work has appeared in the Examiner, Yahoo News, Buzzfeed, among others.

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