Yahoo Web Search

Search results

  1. Feb 21, 2011 · There is no definitive history on the origin of the phrase, though there is plenty of speculation. The term, which is universally recognized as words that concede defeat (i.e., "I give up"), was ...

  2. Definition of cry uncle in the Idioms Dictionary. cry uncle phrase. What does cry uncle expression mean? Definitions by the largest Idiom Dictionary.

  3. Cry uncle definition: . See examples of CRY UNCLE used in a sentence.

  4. Nov 28, 1998 · This call by one child for another to submit or cry for mercy — which appears variously as say uncle!, cry uncle! or holler uncle! — is first recorded in print in the US early in the twentieth century. The Oxford English Dictionary ’s first example is from 1918, but I’ve found an instance in an advertisement in the Modesto News of ...

  5. What does say uncle expression mean? Definitions by the largest Idiom Dictionary. ... Also put as cry uncle, it is the schoolyard equivalent of “say when you’ve ...

  6. www.phrases.com › phrase › say-cry-uncle_45005Say Cry Uncle - Phrases.com

    Feb 25, 2019 · Etymology: It is a 20th century American phrase, which became popular later on. It is not known why the expression has “uncle” and not “aunt “or any other word suggesting surrendering or giving up. It might have originated from ancient Rome or Ireland. In old Irish the word for protection is anacol (that sounds like uncle).

  7. Origin of the phrase: Next . ace up your sleeve

  8. What does the idiom Cry uncle mean? The meaning, explanation, and origin of idiom Cry uncle. Search for: Home; Proverbs; Idioms; Quotes; About; Home • C • Cry uncle.

  9. Say (cry) uncle definition: . See examples of SAY (CRY) UNCLE used in a sentence.

  10. Jan 25, 2001 · It seems that while "crying uncle" is today regarded as an Americanism, its origins go all the way back to the Roman Empire. Roman children, when beset by a bully, would be forced to say "Patrue, mi Patruissimo," or "Uncle, my best Uncle," in order to surrender and be freed. As to precisely "why" bullies force their victims to "cry uncle ...

  11. Aug 2, 2011 · cry uncle: [verb] to beg for mercy. I'm going to make my examination cry uncle .

  12. Aug 1, 2014 · A more plausible explanation, though, dates back to the days of the Roman Empire. When young children of that era were attacked by bullies, they wouldn’t be set free until they uttered "Patrue ...

  13. The other popular theory about "cry uncle" suggests that the phrase may actually be thousands of years old, and that its origins go all the way back to the Roman Empire. According to this theory, Roman children, when beset by a bully, would be forced to say "Patrue, mi Patruissimo," or "Uncle, my best Uncle," in order to surrender and be freed.

  14. Jun 30, 2023 · The term "say uncle" is synonymous with admitting defeat. It's a way of saying, "I give up," or "You win." This idiom is often used in situations where an individual is expected to concede or acknowledge that they've been bested. The idiom also has a few variations, such as "cry uncle" or "scream uncle," all of which essentially convey the same ...

  15. When the original 1960s series was first released, its camp elements provided a comic foil to the all-too-real Cold War spy dramas unfolding at the time, John le Carré-style. Wrapped up in U.N.C.L.E.'s clinical-sounding acronym, the presence of uncle might have suggested a comfortingly avuncular authority figure, one who could be trusted to ...

  16. What does Say uncle. expression mean? Definitions by the largest Idiom Dictionary. ... Also put as cry uncle, it is the schoolyard equivalent of “say when you’ve ...

  17. Meaning of cry uncle. What does cry uncle mean? Information and translations of cry uncle in the most comprehensive dictionary definitions resource on the web.

  18. Verb. cry uncle ( third-person singular simple present cries uncle, present participle crying uncle, simple past and past participle cried uncle) ( US, idiomatic) To beg for mercy; to give up; to ask to stop (something painful or unbearable ). Anyone who doesn't cry uncle after the first week will probably last the season.

  19. Definition of uncle in the Idioms Dictionary. uncle phrase. What does uncle expression mean? ... but one morning the little girl found Aunt Em softly crying while ...

  1. People also search for