Search results
- Dictionaryhue and cry/hjuː(ə)n(d)ˈkrʌɪ/
noun
- 1. a loud clamour or public outcry.
Powered by Oxford Dictionaries
hue and cry: [noun] a loud outcry formerly used in the pursuit of one who is suspected of a crime. the pursuit of a suspect or a written proclamation for the capture of a suspect.
HUE AND CRY definition: 1. a noisy expression of public anger or disapproval: 2. a noisy expression of public anger or…. Learn more.
It is possible that the term is an Anglicization via Anglo-French of the Latin hutesium et clamor, meaning "a horn and shouting". Other sources indicate that it has always been a somewhat redundant phrase meaning an outcry and cry, though such "redundancy" is a feature of the legal doublet. "Hue" appears to come from the Old French huer, which means "to shout", and "cry" from Old French crier ("to cry").
There are five meanings listed in OED's entry for the phrase hue and cry.See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.
Hue and cry, early English legal practice of pursuing a criminal with cries and sounds of alarm. It was the duty of any person wronged or discovering a felony to raise the hue and cry, and his neighbours were bound to come and assist him in the pursuit and apprehension of the offender. All those
Hue and cry definition: the pursuit of a felon or an offender with loud outcries or clamor to give an alarm.. See examples of HUE AND CRY used in a sentence.
hue and cry: 1 n loud and persistent outcry from many people Synonyms: clamor , clamoring , clamour , clamouring Type of: call , cry , outcry , shout , vociferation , yell a loud utterance; often in protest or opposition
2 meanings: 1. (formerly) the pursuit of a suspected criminal with loud cries in order to raise the alarm 2. any loud public.... Click for more definitions.
The practice in medieval England whereby a person could call out loudly for help in pursuing a suspected criminal. All who heard the call were obliged by law to join in the chase; failure to do so would incur a heavy fine and any misuse of the hue and cry was also punishable.
1. A public clamor, as of protest or demand: raised a great hue and cry about political corruption.
