Dictionary

cry cupboard en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /kɹaɪ ˈkʌbəd/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /kɹaɪ ˈkʌbəɹd/ (General-American)
• (General-American) audio

Etymology

From cry (verb) + cupboard (“(by extension) food, provisions”, noun), probably comparing one’s stomach growling from hunger to a person calling out for food which is traditionally stored in a cupboard.

Meanings

1. (archaic, idiomatic, intransitive, obsolete) Chiefly of one's stomach: to need or want food; to show signs of hunger; to hunger.
   • [Mr. Joceline] aſſured them his great guts vvere ready to eat up his little ones, that they had cried cupboard ſome time, I'cod the hounds and I ſhall be famiſh'd; […] 1756, [Charlotte] Charke, “Mr. Dumont Arrives at Iver. By Accident Another of the Gang is Taken, by which Means the Rest are Found. Young Boistrous and His Sister Make a Discovery at Dumont’s to the Father.”, in The History of Henry Dumont, Esq; and Miss Charlotte Evelyn. […], London: […] H[enry] Slater, […]; and H[enry] Slater, jun. and S[amuel] Whyte, […], →OCLC, page 119:
   • So now away home; my inside cries cupboard. 1855, Charles Kingsley, “Of Two Gentlemen of Wales, and How They Hunted with the Hounds, and Yet Ran with the Deer”, in Westward Ho!: Or, The Voyages and Adventures of Sir Amyas Leigh, Knight, […], volume I, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: Macmillan & Co., →OCLC, page 102:
   • Let's see what prog we have for supper; the kettle has boiled long enough; my stomach cries cupboard; and I'll warrant our guest is in no mood to dally with his trencher. 1822 May 21, Geoffrey Crayon [pseudonym; Washington Irving], “Dolph Heyliger”, in Bracebridge Hall, or The Humourists. A Medley. […], volume II, New York, N.Y.: […] C. S. Van Winkle, […], →OCLC, page 283:
   • My belly cries Cup⸗board; […] 1681, William Robertson, “Cup⸗board”, in Phraseologia generalis; […]. A Full, Large, and General Phrase Book; […], Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: […] John Hayes, printer to the University; [a]nd are to be sold by George Sawbridge, […], →OCLC, page 412, column 2:
   • Footman. Madam, Dinner's upon the Table. / Col[onel]. Faith, I am glad of it; my Belly began to cry Cupboard. 1731 (date written), Simon Wagstaff [pseudonym; Jonathan Swift], “Dialogue II”, in A Complete Collection of Genteel and Ingenious Conversation, […], London: […] B[enjamin] Motte […], published 1738, →OCLC, page 119:
   • [S]hould his head ach or his ſtomach cry cupboard, the uneaſineſs of that might drive him into a nevv courſe of action different from that he had determined upon before. 1768, Edward Search [pseudonym; Abraham Tucker], “Satisfaction”, in The Light of Nature Pursued, volume I, part I (Human Nature), London: […] T. Jones, […]; and sold by T[homas] Payne, […], →OCLC, page 143:
   • I'm rayther peckish—my stomick's bin a-crying cupboard for a hour past. 1841, Alfred Crowquill [pseudonym; Alfred Henry Forrester], “[A Day’s Sport.] Shooting a Bird, and Putting Shot into a Calf.”, in Seymour’s Humorous Sketches, Comprising Eighty-six Caricature Etchings. […], London: Henry G[eorge] Bohn, […], →OCLC:

Forms

Relateds

cry poormouth