How did false emotion get the name "crocodile tears"?

flem-ish

Goes back to Sir John Mandeville. http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/104800.html Crocodiles were believed to 'hypocritically' weep while they ate their prey. Jul 03 12, 9:14 PM

star_gazer

"Generally crocodile tears are pretty similar to human tears," said study co-author Kent Vliet of the University of Florida. "You see moisture in their eyes or collecting in the corners of the eyes. At times it will drip out of the corner and run down their face just like you'd expect a tear to run down a child's face." Of course, there is no "eater's remorse" involved when a croc turns on the water works. "Crocodiles appear to produce tears all the time," said croc expert Adam Britton, founder of the informational Web site Crocodilian.com. "Their function is-like our own tears-to lubricate the eye. This may be even more relevant for crocodiles because they have a third eyelid," also known as a nictitating membrane. Jul 03 12, 9:24 PM

star_gazer

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/10/071010-crocodile-tears.html Jul 03 12, 9:26 PM