* "Crying out" as a way to express frustration or anger: This usage existed long before the specific phrase we know today. People would literally cry out, often in a loud and dramatic way, to express their emotions.
* "Crying out to God" as a plea for help: In religious contexts, people would cry out to God for assistance or mercy. This could be a cry for help in times of trouble or a plea for forgiveness.
* "For God's sake" as an exclamation of annoyance: This phrase, often shortened to "for God's sake," has been used for centuries to express frustration, impatience, or exasperation.
The combination of these elements likely led to the phrase "for crying out loud" evolving as a way to express annoyance or disbelief. It combines the notion of a loud, emotional outcry with a sense of pleading or exasperation, similar to "for God's sake."
Here's how the phrase likely developed:
1. "Crying out" as a way to express frustration or anger.
2. "Crying out to God" as a plea for help.
3. "For God's sake" as an exclamation of annoyance.
4. The merging of these elements into the phrase "for crying out loud" as a way to express frustration, disbelief, or exasperation.
While the exact origin of the phrase is unknown, its roots are likely in the long-standing uses of "crying out" as a way to express emotion and "for God's sake" as a way to express annoyance.