2007-01-20 08:36:30 · 9 answers · asked by winkypink64 1 in Education & Reference ➔ Words & Wordplay
It is phonetically identical to alle,alle auch sind frei (german)everyone!everyone else is free!You yell it when you kick the can or when you are ending the game.
2007-01-20 08:44:26 · answer #1 · answered by kevin k 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Olly olly oxen free is a phrase used in children's games, which is generally used to indicate that people who are hiding (in a game of hide and seek, for example) can safely come out into the open. The exact origin of the phrase is unknown, but etymologists suspect it is a childish corruption of a phrase that would have made more sense in the Hide-and-seek context; such as "all ye, all ye, oxen free!", "all in free", "out’s in free", "all set free", "All ye all ye outs in free", or "All the, all the outs in free"; or possibly a corruption of the German "Alle, alle auch sind frei", (literally, "Everyone, everyone also is free").
2007-01-20 08:42:58 · answer #2 · answered by lou53053 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
olli ollie oksenfree- means you give up when you are playing a game of some type
2007-01-20 08:41:22 · answer #3 · answered by Jess McMillin 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Origin
The exact origin of the phrase is unknown, but etymologists suspect it is a childish corruption of a phrase that would have made more sense in the Hide-and-seek context; such as "all ye, all ye, oxen free!", "all in free", "out’s in free", "all set free", "All ye all ye outs in free", or "All the, all the outs in free"; or possibly a corruption of the German "Alle, alle auch sind frei", (literally, "Everyone, everyone also is free").
2007-01-20 08:40:48 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is a nonsense phrase used by children ( at least my generation) when playing Hide and Seek.
2007-01-20 08:40:18 · answer #5 · answered by Marilyn E 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I've often wondered that myself. I'm still non the wiser after reading these answers. They all contradict one another.
2007-01-20 22:27:55 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It was just something silly kids made up when they weren't found at hidenseek and made it ' home' to let the searcher know they hadn't been found.
2007-01-20 08:40:28 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
it means that you found someone in hide and seek.
you shout it out after they see them.
2007-01-20 08:39:01 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
thats a nazi salute
2007-01-20 08:40:46 · answer #9 · answered by junes 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋