Region: General | Usage example: He cried wolf so often that nobody believed him when it mattered.

Cry wolf

Meaning

Raise a false alarm so no one believes future warnings.

Used to warn against lying about dangers.

Origin notes can vary by region and source; this page gives the commonly reported explanation and usage context.

Aesop's fable about a boy whose false warnings doomed animals to attack.

Rooted in ancient Greek literature and kept alive in English proverbs.