weeping vs. crying

Hi,

Is there any actual difference between weeping and crying?

The term 'weeping' is more formal, more literary and more uncommon.

It also suggests to me more than 'crying' that there were a lot of tears, and that the person was more upset.

Clive

And, of course, 'sobbing' would be louder.

I seem to remember reading or being taught that "weeping" means when tears are coming out of your eyes and "crying" means speaking in a loud voice ("Don't touch that!" he cried), and that saying crying when you mean weeping is wrong, wrong, wrong. It seems to me that many people use "weep" in a kind of self-conscious, hyper-correct kind of way, so maybe other people were taught this as well. But

DelmobileI seem to remember reading or being taught that "weeping" means when tears are coming out of your eyes and "crying" means speaking in a loud voice ("Don't touch that!" he cried), and that saying crying when you mean weeping is wrong, wrong, wrong. It seems to me that many people use "weep" in a kind of self-conscious, hyper-correct kind of way, so maybe other peo

If you want to make a distinction between the three, I would have thought it was a gradation in meaning:

weeping.... lots of tears but not much , if any, noise or movements. You can say someone was weeping silently but not normally noisily.

crying .... tears but also with crying noises, definitely never silent.

sobbing ..... both tears and definite intakes of breath

Hi,

To me, 'weeping' involves a deeper and more adult expression of grief. 'Crying' can be purely 'mechanical'.

eg The baby in front of me on the plane cried for three hours non-stop,

but not The baby in front of me on the plane wept for three hours non-stop.

Clive

The question and answer somehow reminds me of one of the most famous scenes in Jane Eyre:

" I was prepared for the hot rain of tears; only I wanted them to be shed on my breast: now a senseless floor has received them,
or your drenched handkerchief. But I err: you have not wept at all! I see a white cheek and a faded eye, but no trace of tears. I suppose, then,

Hi,

Jesus wept.

(shortest verse in the Bible)

Clive

Oh, Julielai, that was lovely, thank you. I may need to read Jane Eyre again.

Very true. Weeping accompanies grief, loss and intense sadness, whereas crying can result from a wider range of emotional states - rage or frustration for example.