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(cry) uncle
Aug. 6th, 2024 07:57 am(cry) uncle - v., concede defeat, surrender, ask for mercy.
This is apparently unrelated to the usual uncle (brother of one's parent) and its derived meanings (including the slang sense of pawnbroker), but rather an alteration of Irish anacal, protection/quarter -- in which last sense, one can see it being used as a cry of surrender. The actual evidence for this is not solid, but the first intimation of the word are in Anglo-Irish sources. TBH my favorite usage citation is from P.G. Wodehouse: "There sat a nephew capable of facing the toughest aunt and making her say Uncle."
Bonus word: uncle three balls
---L.
This is apparently unrelated to the usual uncle (brother of one's parent) and its derived meanings (including the slang sense of pawnbroker), but rather an alteration of Irish anacal, protection/quarter -- in which last sense, one can see it being used as a cry of surrender. The actual evidence for this is not solid, but the first intimation of the word are in Anglo-Irish sources. TBH my favorite usage citation is from P.G. Wodehouse: "There sat a nephew capable of facing the toughest aunt and making her say Uncle."
Bonus word: uncle three balls
---L.
