cry cupboard

Meanings

verbcry cupboard (third-person singular simple present cries cupboard, present participle crying cupboard, simple past and past participle cried cupboard)

present singular third person cries cupboard · participle present crying cupboard · participle past cried cupboard · past cried cupboard

archaicidiomaticintransitiveobsoleteChiefly of one's stomach: to need or want food; to show signs of hunger; to hunger.
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
5 more examples
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
[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
[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
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
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

Origin

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.

Full word history & related roots →