cry uncle

Idioms  

1. Also, say uncle. Concede defeat, as in The Serbs want the Bosnians to cry uncle, or If you say uncle right now, I'll let you go first in the next game. 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.

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Example Sentences

Apparently, this is a word, so I’ll just cry uncle here.

From Washington Post • Jan. 6, 2019

Apparently he expects all foreign leaders to cry uncle the minute he slaps them.

From Salon • Jun. 8, 2018

If the Duke player gave up, he could holler calf rope, and the Wisconsin player would cry uncle.

From Time • Apr. 6, 2015

That put the grand total over the top and forced me to cry uncle.

From Slate • Dec. 5, 2014

We plan to kid the pants off this spaceman business, until those bright boys in the glass hats cry uncle.

From Get Out of Our Skies! by Jarvis, E. K.