Outcrying

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. An expression of strong public disapproval or protest that often calls for change or justice
2. a vocal outpouring of concern regarding social issues or injustices
3. a significant reaction characterized by collective dissatisfaction or outrage in response to a situation

Etymology: "Outcrying" is the present participle and gerund of the verb "outcry," so its history is really the history of that verb. The verb comes from Middle English "outcrien," built from "out," meaning "out" or "forth," and "crien," meaning "to cry." Together they described crying out loudly, raising a voice so that it carried beyond the immediate group. The noun "outcry," formed from the same two parts, followed in Middle English as "outcri," "outcrye," and similar spellings. Its sense of a public protest, a clamour of popular objection, developed from the simpler idea of a loud shout. The modern meaning of a vocal outpouring about social wrongs grows naturally from that older picture of a cry rising above a crowd.

Synonyms: protesting, complaining, shouting