present participle of cry wolf

(idiomatic) A situation that is considered to be a disgrace, or deplorable.

(obsolete) To shout out 'Havoc!'; that is, to give an army the order to plunder.

To cry out.

(idiomatic) To raise a false alarm; to constantly warn others about an imagined threat, thereby failing to get assistance when a real threat appears.

(US, idiomatic) To beg for mercy; to give up; to ask to stop (something painful or unbearable).

(historical) The public pursuit of a criminal, accompanied by shouts to warn others to give chase.

much: to a great extent or degree; by far

(idiomatic, usually in the phrase 'a far cry from') A long distance, in terms of dissimilarity or difference.

Alternative spelling of crybaby