A character cries. It is not pretty. It tends to be loud. Expect the character to, afterwards, need to blow his nose and have red, puffy eyes. And if any make-up is involved, expect it to run -- badly. A literary trope, mostly, since we do not have to see the character actually sobbing. Often lampshaded. Plus, of course, actors can more easily mimic tears than the full effect. Note that this may occur for any motive for which someone can cry. May be done by a Hysterical Woman. Contrast Cry Cute. Liable to turn drama into unintentional comedy if mishandled. This can also be done intentionally.