crocodile's tears
Preserved but no longer current.
Also seen as: crocodiles’ tears
Sense 1
The tears of a hypocrite. Crocodiles are fabulously reported to shed tears over their prey before they devour it.
Era: ca. 1811 (Georgian)
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Grose’s Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue (1811 edition, public domain; Project Gutenberg #5402, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Sense 2
The tears of a hypocrite. An ancient phrase, introduced into this country by Mandeville, or other early English traveller, who believed that the crocodile made a weeping noise to attract travellers, and then devoured them. See Shakspeare’s use of the term in Othello.
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “crocodile's tears” mean?
The tears of a hypocrite. Crocodiles are fabulously reported to shed tears over their prey before they devour it.
Is “crocodile's tears” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.