crying someone a river

Verb

cry someone a river (third-person singular simple present cries someone a river, present participle crying someone a river, simple past and past participle cried someone a river)

1. (idiomatic, often, sarcastic) To weep profusely or excessively in the presence of another person.
   • It is rather shaming to be quite so wet over nothing in particular, but at least Fielding does it too. He cries gallons over slow-motion bits at the ends of films, especially Gladiator, and begins to worship Roman values, then Italian footballers kissing in slo-mo to the strains of Nessun Dorma....2008 March 4, Michele Hanson, “I cry over anything lately”, in The Guardian
2. (broadly, idiomatic, sarcastic, usually) To try to obtain the sympathy of another person by complaining or sniveling.
   • Port Authority Transit should cry me a river. Before raising fares it should cut an unnecessary expense.1968 October 3, A. B. Geraci, “Letter to Editor: PAT Should End Its Free Passes”, in Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, retrieved 20 Oct 2008, page 16