Search results
Children’s games
- (American English) admit that you have been beaten or defeated: They’re determined to make the President cry uncle in the budget debate. Originally, this comes from children’s games in which the child has to say the word ‘uncle’ to admit defeat.
idioms.thefreedictionary.com › cry+uncle
People also ask
What does Cry Uncle mean?
When did the phrase 'Cry Uncle' come out?
Where did the phrase 'Say Uncle' come from?
Why do people cry for their uncle?
Feb 21, 2011 · The term, which is universally recognized as words that concede defeat (i.e., "I give up"), was traced back to the late 19th century, according to the website worldwidewords.org, and was used as...
Nov 28, 1998 · The speculations are ingenious: one from American Speech in 1980 was that “Uncle in this expression is surely a folk etymology, and the Irish original of the word is anacol... ‘act of protecting; deliverance; mercy, quarter, safety’, a verbal noun from the Old Irish verb aingid, ‘protects’ ”.
Origin. There are several theories on the phrase's origin. Due to heavy Irish immigration in eastern Canada and New England in the 19th century, it is likely an anglicization of the Irish 'anacal', meaning deliverance or quarter. [2]
This phrase originated about 1900 as an imperative among school-children who would say, "Cry uncle when you've had enough (of a beating)." By the mid-1900s it was being used figuratively, as in the examples. See also: cry, uncle. The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
This phrase originated about 1900 as an imperative among school-children who would say, “Cry uncle when you've had enough (of a beating).” By the mid-1900s it was being used figuratively, as in the examples.
Jan 25, 2001 · : Anyone know where the phrase 'Say Uncle' meaning 'I give up' came from? 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.
Aug 31, 2023 · cry uncle (third-person singular simple present cries uncle, present participle crying uncle, simple past and past participle cried uncle) (US, colloquial) To beg for mercy; to give up, admit defeat. [from 19th c.]
