a cry for help

A conspicuous action, often characterized by aberrant behavior, that masks a conscious or subconscious need for help or attention. This young man's crime was not malevolently motivated; it was a cry for help that he did not know how to communicate.

See also: cry, help

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

See also:

allowance
make a spectacle of (oneself)
make a spectacle of yourself
make allowance
stand out a mile
stand/stick out a mile
stick out a mile
stand/stick out like a sore thumb
stand out like a sore thumb
stick out like a sore thumb, to

词组	a cry for help
释义	a cry for help a cry for help A conspicuous action, often characterized by aberrant behavior, that masks a conscious or subconscious need for help or attention. This young man's crime was not malevolently motivated; it was a cry for help that he did not know how to communicate. See also: cry, help Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. See also: allowance make a spectacle of (oneself) make a spectacle of yourself make allowance stand out a mile stand/stick out a mile stick out a mile stand/stick out like a sore thumb stand out like a sore thumb stick out like a sore thumb, to
随便看	palm something off palm (something) off (on one) (as something else) palm something off on someone palooka palsy-walsy paluka pal up pal up (with someone) pan pan across to pan across to (someone or something) pancake panda car pander pander to pander to (one) Pandora Pandora's box pan for pan for (something) pang-wangle panic panic at panic at (something) panic attack