What Does “Shedding Crocodile Tears” Mean and Where Did the Expression Come From?

Crocodiles have a nasty habit of sounding like a baby crying, which can attract naive human prey.

While lying motionless in the sun, often hidden by tall grass, a crocodile waiting for lunch might leave its mouth open.

This puts pressure on its tear glands, causing the illusion of crying.

Like their phony human counterparts, they shed tears without any sense of contrition or sadness.