shed a tear

/ˈʃɛdəˈtɪə/

verb

To have a tear released, to cry (from sadness)

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Meanings

verbshed a tear (third-person singular simple present sheds a tear, present participle shedding a tear, simple past and past participle shed a tear)

present singular third person sheds a tear · participle present shedding a tear

  1. idiomaticTo have a tear released, to cry (from sadness)
  2. IrelandUKobsoleteslangTo take a dram, or glass of spirits.

    Now, in coming down here, I journeyed part of the way with a jolly old cock, who shed a tear with me every time the coach stopped […]

    1848, Thomas Frost, Paul the Poacher, page 118

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
beweepblubbergreetwailweep

Translations

Ancient Greek δακρύω
  • δακρύω (dakrúō)to cry
Chinese Mandarin 流淚 /流泪
  • 流淚 /流泪 (liúlèi)to cry
Czech cedit slzy
  • cedit slzyto cry
Danish fælde en tåre, knibe en tåre
  • fælde en tåreto cry
  • knibe en tåreto cry
Finnish vuodattaa kyyneleitä, itkeä
  • vuodattaa kyyneleitäto cry
  • itkeäto cry
German seine Tränen nicht zurückhalten können
  • seine Tränen nicht zurückhalten könnento cry
Hebrew דָּמַע
  • דָּמַע (damá')to cry
Hungarian könnyeket hullat
  • könnyeket hullatto cry
Icelandic fella tár, tárast
  • fella tárto cry
  • tárastto cry
Japanese 涙を流す
  • 涙を流す (namida o nagasu)to cry
Latin fleō
  • fleōto cry
Polish uronić łzę
  • uronić łzęto cry
Russian прослези́ться, лить слёзы
  • прослези́ться (proslezítʹsja)to cry
  • лить слёзы (litʹ sljózy)to cry
  • пролива́ть слёзы (prolivátʹ sljózy)to cry
Spanish derramar una lágrima, lagrimear
  • derramar una lágrimato cry
  • lagrimearto cry
  • lagrimarto cry
Cite this entry
APA

shed a tear. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/shed%20a%20tear

MLA

“shed a tear.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/shed%20a%20tear. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “shed a tear,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/shed%20a%20tear.

Source: shed a tear on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.