Cry wolf

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Meaning

To raise false alarms, calling danger too often.

Origin

From Aesop's 'The Boy Who Cried Wolf' (6th century BCE), where a liar's cries go ignored, English by 1590 in a Spenser poem as 'cry wolf. ' A 1692 fable collection cements it.

Variants

  • Cry the wolf

Usage Examples

  • He cried wolf once too often; nobody came.
  • Don't cry wolf unless it's real trouble.
  • She's crying wolf again; ignore it.

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