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Cry Uncle

Idiomatic Phrase
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

To admit defeat or beg an opponent to stop, especially after rough teasing, fighting, or pressure has become too much to endure.

Detailed Definition
This mainly American expression describes a defeated person calling for mercy, though its origin is uncertain. In verse, it can bring a colloquial note to scenes of rivalry, family conflict, or emotional surrender. The abrupt command contrasts with grand language and may reveal a speaker who hides vulnerability behind playfulness until the contest becomes impossible to continue.
Example
Example in poetry:
In a playful poem about surrender, one child may cry “uncle” after losing a wrestling match; The phrase means admitting defeat or asking an opponent to stop; A poet could write, “I cried uncle to the storm and let it carry my umbrella”; Used figuratively, it can make surrender sound humorous rather than tragic.
Additional Notes
To cry uncle means to surrender or ask an opponent to stop, especially during a playful fight or contest. It is mainly used in informal North American English. The phrase does not usually refer to a literal uncle; its exact historical origin is uncertain.
Also Known As
Say Uncle Yell Uncle
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