What does ‘crocodile tears’ mean?
To “crocodile tears” means to a false show of sorrow. Brewer's records the medieval belief, reported by Sir John Mandeville and others, that crocodiles would weep while devouring their prey.
Origin
- Brewer's records the medieval belief, reported by Sir John Mandeville and others, that crocodiles would weep while devouring their prey.
How to use it
- Used contemptuously of insincere grief or public regret.
- Example: The politician's apology was just crocodile tears.
Source:
Last verified: 2026-07-18
- Definitions and origins are drawn from public-domain reference works, primarily Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898), with modern usage notes clearly marked.