hue and cry

Noun

hue and cry (usually uncountable, plural hue and cries or hues and cries)

1. (historical, usually) The public pursuit of a criminal, accompanied by shouts to warn others to give chase.
   • Because he that firſt raiſeth a hue and cry, where no felony is committed, that is, he who giveth the falſe information, is ſeverely puniſhable by fine and impriſonment, if the information be falſe.1797, Richard Burn, John Burn (corrections and updates), The Justice of the Peace, and Parish Officer, Volume II, 18th Edition, page 753
   • For the levying of hue and cry, although it is a good course to have a justice's warrant, where time will permit, in order to prevent causeless hue and cry; yet it is not necessary, nor always convenient; for the felon may escape before the warrant be obtained.1809, William Nicholson, “HUE and CRY”, in The British Encyclopedia, or Dictionary of Arts and Sciences; […], volume III (E … I), London: Printed by C[harles] Whittingham, […]; for Longman, Hurst...
2. (broadly, usually) A loud and persistent public clamour, especially one associated with protest or the making of some demand.
   • And because I haven't written off easily, a great hue and cry has gone up that there is something wrong with our whole system of administering justice.1955, Caryl Chessman, Trial by Ordeal, quoted in 1956 September, Walter P. Armstrong, Jr, book review, American Bar Association Journal, page 854