2006-09-11 16:16:08 · 15 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Biology
Crocodile tears is false or insincere weeping, a hypocritical display of emotions. The expression comes from an ancient anecdote that crocodiles weep in order to lure their prey, or that they cry for the victims they are eating.
2006-09-11 16:21:55 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I know nothing about whether or not crocodiles actually shed tears, so I looked it up on the web. The following is a direct quote from part of the article,
"To weep crocodile tears is to pretend a sorrow that one doesn’t in fact feel, to create a hypocritical show of emotion. The idea comes from the ancient belief that crocodiles weep while luring or devouring their prey...
My naturalist friends tell me that crocodiles can’t cry, because they have no tear ducts—they would be useless in an animal that spends so much time in the water. The eyes can produce secretions to moisten the lids if the animal is out of the water for a while, but these are hardly tears. I am told, though, by people well versed in crocodilian biology that the glands that moisten the eyes are so close to the animal’s throat that the effort of swallowing forces moisture from them, so giving the impression of tears."
Hope this helps you. There was much more to the article, I tried to include the most pertinent parts.
2006-09-11 23:28:27 · answer #2 · answered by bizime 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
crocodile tears are big ole fake tears.......sometimes when child wants something or doesnt get his or her way they will start crying and at times its not real crying its only to try to get ya to feel sorry for them........these fake tears are called crocodile tears.
You tell if they are crocodile tears by a few things.....the fact that they can stop crying just like that....usually when a person cries it takes them a few minutes to stop. Another way to tell is if it looks like they are tryin to or making themselves try to cry.
anyway, hope that helps ya out a little
2006-09-11 23:27:34 · answer #3 · answered by wendyceline2001 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, everyone really answered it quite well...Crocodile tears are just big, make believe tears shed to try to get your own way. I saw something on TV once about crocodiles unable to shed tears because of no tear ducts. Also something about crying for their prey. Remembering them as a child...sometimes they worked....sometimes not!
2006-09-12 00:01:31 · answer #4 · answered by oldtrash06 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
when someone say "crocodile tears" they are refferring to someone who is crying, shedding tears, acting sad, sorry or upset for show- tears that are not sincere- a form of manipulation, for show-
Corcodiles shed tears, when they are eating the food sometimes presses up against the roof of their mouth , putting pressure on their glands and causing them to "tear up"
Fake tears- crocodile tears!
2006-09-11 23:44:57 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I KNOW ! I KNOW !
its when your little and your crying that your mom says oh look you have crocodile tears-- thats what my mom use to say to me to make me laugh and stop crying
2006-09-11 23:34:30 · answer #6 · answered by snootyowl 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Fake tears. Tears manufactured for a certain purpose.
2006-09-11 23:22:08 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
When you are pretending you are crying .....usually people tells you ...they are crocodile tears ...I haven't seen a crocodile cry ...get it?
2006-09-11 23:23:25 · answer #8 · answered by Yami 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Pretending Your Crying Silly
2006-09-11 23:22:11 · answer #9 · answered by sugarbdp1 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is a figure of speech for fake tears- overly dramatic reactions or phony sadness. No real scientific significance- only a figure of speech.
2006-09-11 23:22:16 · answer #10 · answered by rottymom02 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋