Hue and cry

Posted by ESC on October 07, 2003

In Reply to: Hue and cry posted by guy andrews on October 07, 2003

: hue and cry has 2 defintions...one is a protes, the other deals w/ a response to clamor by police. where did this expression originate?? thanks Guy

HUE AND CRY - "In the Middle Ages, under common law, if someone called out for help in pursuing a thief or other criminal, people hearing the cry and failing to assist in the chase could be adjudged guilty of a misdemeanor. The expression 'hu e cri,' as it was in Anglo-Norman, has, of course, long since become merely a synonym for loud outcry. Actually, the term always was somewhat redundant since 'hue' comes from the Old French 'huer' (to cry out) and 'cry' obviously means the same thing." From Morris Dictionary of Word and Phrase Origins by William and Mary Morris (HarperCollins, New York, 1977, 1988). Another reference says "hu e cri" is a Norman-English phrase combining the French 'huer' and 'cri' which mean "respectively to shout and cry out." From The Dictionary of Cliches by James Rogers (Wings Books, Originally New York: Facts on File Publications, 1985).