take out an onion

The vapours from sliced onions cause tears, allowing someone to pretend to cry. Coined by Private Eye and used as a mock stage description, originally to describe Harold MacMillan.

• "He’s almost taking out an onion now as he remembers his father and his own early struggles."
• ""I don't want the next generation to misunderstand history" Mr Chea told a packed court, no doubt taking out an onion as he did so. "I don't want them to believe the Khmer Rouge were bad people, war criminals.""
• "I sympathise, of course, (takes out onion) with Ken’s own experience of how hard it is to find employment, in a particularly tough job market for embittered old lefties."

• crocodile tears