Say uncle
Suggest a CorrectionMeaning
Admit defeat, surrender, or ask for an ordeal to stop. Current informal expression, often associated with children's contests Regional use: United States and Canada.
Origin
A North American slang phrase that developed from a widely reprinted 1891 joke about a parrot forced to say uncle, then forcing barnyard birds to do the same. A 1903 American cartoon already transfers the wording to making a person submit, and the clear surrender sense is printed in a 1912 basketball report. The proposed derivation from Irish anacol, meaning protection, is unsupported by intermediate forms or Irish usage.
Variants
- cry uncle
- holler uncle
- make someone say uncle
Usage Examples
- Theo held the lid down until his laughing brother finally said uncle.
- The negotiators refused to cry uncle even after midnight.
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