cry off

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Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

cry off vb

(intransitive) informal to withdraw from or cancel (an agreement or arrangement)

cry /kraɪ/USA pronunciation v., cried, cry•ing, n., pl. cries.
v.

to utter sounds, esp. of grief or suffering, usually with tears:[no object]She cried with pain.
to shed tears, with or without sound;
weep:[no object]He cried all night the day his mother died.
[~ + oneself] to bring (oneself ) to a certain state or condition by weeping: The baby cried himself to sleep.
to call loudly;
shout: [no object;
(~ + out)]She cried out with pain when she tripped and fell.[~ (+ out) + object]He cried a warning as the wolf sprang at them.[used with quotations;
~ (+ out)]"Help!'' she cried (out).
(of an animal) to give forth a characteristic call:[no object]The seagulls cried.
to beg or plead for something:[~ + for + object]to cry for mercy.
to announce publicly:[~ + object]to cry one's wares to sell.
cry out against, [~ + out against + object] to speak out against:His book cries out against bigotry and hatred.
cry out for, [~ + out + for + object] to show or demonstrate an urgent need for attention to: These decaying streets cry out for repair.

n. [countable]

the act or sound of crying:cries of outrage.
a period or fit of weeping:had a good cry.
the characteristic call of an animal:the cries of the seagulls.
an urgent request;
appeal:a cry for help.
Governmenta shout of encouragement, such as a political or party slogan, or words to troops in battle:a battle cry.

Idioms

Idioms a far cry, [uncountable] altogether or completely different:The small town was a far cry from the inner city he lived in.

Idioms cry over spilled milk, [used with a negative word or phrase] to regret what cannot be changed or undone:There is no use crying over spilled milk.

cry (krī),USA pronunciation v., cried, cry•ing, n., pl. cries.
v.i.

to utter inarticulate sounds, esp. of lamentation, grief, or suffering, usually with tears.
to weep;
shed tears, with or without sound.
to call loudly;
shout;
yell (sometimes fol. by out).
to demand resolution or strongly indicate a particular disposition:The rise in crime cried out for greater police protection.
to give forth vocal sounds or characteristic calls, as animals;
yelp;
bark.
(of a hound or pack) to bay continuously and excitedly in following a scent.
Metallurgy(of tin) to make a noise, when bent, like the crumpling of paper.

v.t.

to utter or pronounce loudly;
call out.
to announce publicly as for sale;
advertise:to cry one's wares.
to beg or plead for;
implore:to cry mercy.
to bring (oneself ) to a specified state by weeping:The infant cried itself to sleep.
cry down, to disparage;
belittle:Those people cry down everyone who differs from them.
Idioms cry havoc. See havoc (def. 2).
cry off, to break a promise, agreement, etc.:We made arrangements to purchase a house, but the owner cried off at the last minute.
Idioms cry one's eyes or heart out, to cry excessively or inconsolably:The little girl cried her eyes out when her cat died.
Idioms cry over spilled or spilt milk. See milk (def. 4).
cry up, to praise;
extol:to cry up one's profession.

the act or sound of crying;
any loud utterance or exclamation;
a shout, scream, or wail.
clamor;
outcry.
a fit of weeping:to have a good cry.
the utterance or call of an animal.
Governmenta political or party slogan.
See battle cry.
an oral proclamation or announcement.
a call of wares for sale, services available, etc., as by a street vendor.
public report.
an opinion generally expressed.
an entreaty;
appeal.
Sport[Fox Hunting.]
- a pack of hounds.
- a continuous baying of a hound or a pack in following a scent.
Idioms a far cry:
- quite some distance;
  a long way.
- only remotely related;
  very different:This treatment is a far cry from that which we received before.
Idioms in full cry, in hot pursuit:The pack followed in full cry.

Anglo-French, Old French cri, noun, nominal derivative of the verb, verbal
Vulgar Latin *crītāre for Latin quirītāre to cry out in protest, make a public cry; associated by folk etymology, etymological with Quirītēs Quirites; (noun, nominal)
Anglo-French, Old French crier
(verb, verbal) Middle English crien 1175–1225