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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 ...
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.]
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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 ...
cry uncle. To admit defeat or plead for mercy, especially in an informal physical contest of some kind. The brothers often play fought, but it was invariably the younger of the two who had to cry uncle by the end. See also: cry, uncle.
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 ...
Mar 12, 2012 · 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,” opinions vary. It may be that the ritual is simply a way of making the victim call out for help from a grownup ...
