come home by weeping cross
To return in disappointment, or in a spirit of contrition.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“He went to the city but came home by weeping cross.”
“After his ambitious business venture failed completely, he had to come home by weeping cross to face his family.”
“The young soldier, having ignored his father's wise counsel and suffered a bitter defeat, returned to the village to come home by weeping cross.”
The idiom is derived from a common English placename, used to denote the former site of a stone cross. Such locations were once widespread across the landscape, marking the intersection of roads or parish boundaries.
- 01
appetite comes with eating
Starting an activity increases one's desire to continue it.
- 02
as they come
As it is possible to be.
- 03
blow to kingdom come
To totally destroy (something); to annihilate or wipe out (something).
- 04
bring home
To earn (money).
- 05
bring home the bacon
To have employment which provides remuneration to satisfy the basic needs of oneself and one's family.
- 06
broken home
A home in which the parents have separated or divorced.
- 07
burn that bridge when one comes to it
To anticipate dealing with a problem or situation either by acting in a manner that alienates or cuts ties with others, or merely with the expectation of encountering trouble.
- 08
charity begins at home
One should help the people closest to oneself before thinking of helping others.
Last updated August 10, 2026