cry\ uncle

cry\ uncle
• say uncle
• cry uncle
v. phr. informal
To say that you surrender; admit that you have lost; admit a defeat; give up.

Bob fought for five minutes, but he had to say uncle.

The bully twisted Jerry's arm and said, "Cry uncle."

The other team was beating us, but we wouldn't say uncle.

Compare: give in

Словарь американских идиом. — СПб., Изд-во "Лань". . 1997.

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Look at other dictionaries:

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  • cry uncle — See: SAY UNCLE …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • cry uncle — verb To beg for mercy; to give up; to ask to stop (something painful or unbearable). Anyone who doesnt cry uncle after the first week will probably last the season …   Wiktionary

  • cry uncle — admit defeat or that one has lost He finally had to cry uncle when the other wrestler pinned him to the mat …   Idioms and examples

  • cry uncle — cry (or say) uncle informal surrender or admit defeat …   Useful english dictionary

  • uncle — [uŋ′kəl] n. [OFr < L avunculus, one s mother s brother, dim. of * avo < IE * awos , maternal grandfather > OE eam, OHG oheim, uncle, L avus, grandfather] 1. the brother of one s father or mother 2. the husband of one s aunt 3. [Old… …   English World dictionary

  • uncle — I. n 1. British a pawnbroker. A use of the word which arose in the 18th century, referring (probably ironically) to the mon eylender s avuncular assistance. The term was still heard in London in the 1950s and may survive. From the 1980s it was… …   Contemporary slang

  • uncle — noun Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo French, from Latin avunculus mother s brother; akin to Old English ēam uncle, Welsh ewythr, Latin avus grandfather Date: 14th century 1. a. the brother of one s father or mother b. the husband of one s… …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • uncle — uncleless, adj. uncleship, n. /ung keuhl/, n. 1. a brother of one s father or mother. 2. an aunt s husband. 3. a familiar title or term of address for any elderly man. 4. Slang. a pawnbroker. 5. (cap.) Informal. Uncle Sam …   Universalium

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