What is the origin of the phrase uncle?

What is the origin of the phrase uncle?

One theory is that it derives from a phrase uttered by youngsters in the Roman empire who got into trouble, patrue mi patruissime (“uncle, my best of uncles”). It may also be based on a joke from 19th-century England about a bullied parrot being coaxed to address his owner’s uncle.

What is the slang meaning of Uncle?

noun colloquial A close male friend of the parents of a family. noun southern US, slang, archaic an older male African-American person. noun India, slang An affectionate name for an older man. interjection A cry used to indicate surrender.

Who said I’ll be a monkey’s uncle?

The idiom I’ll be a monkey’s uncle began as a sarcastic response to Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution. After Darwin published The Origin of Species in 1859, the foundation of the evolutionary theory, he published The Descent of Man in 1871.

Where does the term cousin come from?

“Cousin” derives from the Latin “consobrinus,” which specifically denoted “the child of one’s mother’s sister.” “Consobrinus” later expanded to mean the child of any uncle or aunt, and, when English adopted it as “cousin” during the 1200s, its meaning enlarged even further to include any relative.

When was the word uncle invented?

The first known use of uncle was in the 14th century.

Who invented the word uncle?

From Middle English uncle, borrowed from Anglo-Norman uncle and Old French oncle, from Vulgar Latin *aunclum, from Latin avunculus (“mother’s brother”, literally “little grandfather”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂euh₂-n-tlo- (“little grandfather”), a dialectal diminutive of *h₂éwh₂ō (“grandfather, adult male relative …

What does the phrase monkey on your back mean?

Another expression that is frequently used is ‘have a monkey on your back’; it means that you are carrying a burden or a problem that you find difficult to get rid of.

Where does the saying I couldn’t give a monkeys come from?

The phrase was used as early as 1917, in an El Paso, Texas newspaper advertisement for a play called The Brass Monkey. It appeared in newspapers several times in the early 1920s, including several other examples in advertisements.

What is a female cousin called?

A: English does have a word for a female cousin, “cousiness,” but it’s quite rare.

Where does the saying “Say Uncle” come from?

Say uncle is sometimes claimed to come from the Irish anacol, meaning mercy or quarter, the lack of currency in Britain explained by the term being brought to America by Irish immigrants.

What does say uncle mean?

say uncle. To admit defeat and/or plead for mercy, especially in an informal physical contest of some kind. Can also be used as an imperative phrase to demand that someone give up or admit defeat. The brothers often play fought, but it was invariably the younger of the two who had to say uncle by the end.

Why do we say uncle?

“Say ‘uncle’!” is a North American expression demanding that the opponent in a contest submit. The response “Uncle!” is equivalent to “I give up” and indicates submission.