cry barley
To call for a truce, typically in a children's game. Don't cry barley now, you wuss! Let's keep playing Red Rover!
cry for the moon
To make an impractical or unreasonable request, especially one that is unlikely to happen. Oh, you want a later curfew, huh? Well, you're crying for the moon—11 o'clock is late enough!
cry foul
To protest against something that has happened. A: "How could you go through my things without asking?" B: "Oh, don't cry foul—I was just looking for my sweater and I found it. It's not a big deal." Dad cried foul when I forgot to put gas in his car after borrowing it.
cry in (one's) beer
To feel sorry for oneself. To bemoan one's fate or life. Don't cry in your beer, man. I know you're bummed about Amanda, but if she broke up with you, she's not the one.
cry on (one's) shoulder
To bemoan one's problems to someone else. We need to try to cheer Ben up—he's been crying on my shoulder all week. Can I please cry on your shoulder for a little bit? I just found out I failed my Bio exam.
cry over spilt milk
To be upset over something that cannot be fixed, often something minor. Please calm down, you're just crying over spilt milk. We already submitted the report, so we can't fix it now. A: "Why is Hannah so upset?" B: "Oh, she's just crying over spilt milk. She just fell down and ripped her stockings—she'll be fine."
cry stinking fish
To undermine one's own efforts. To put oneself down. Primarily heard in UK. A: "And I'm awful at doing reports." B: "Come on, buddy, don't cry stinking fish! You're so talented and have so much to offer the company—don't put yourself down!"