turn on the waterworks

== English == === Pronunciation === === Verb === turn on the waterworks (third-person singular simple present turns on the waterworks, present participle turning on the waterworks, simple past and past participle turned on the waterworks) (informal, figuratively) To start crying, especially in a way that the speaker finds irritating. === See also === crocodile tear === References === “turn on the waterworks” in Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, Longman. “turn on the waterworks” (US) / “turn on the waterworks” (UK) in Macmillan English Dictionary. “turn on the waterworks”, in Cambridge English Dictionary, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: Cambridge University Press, 1999–present. “turn on the waterworks”, in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1996–present.