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English to English translations [Non-PRO]
Other / Idioms | | English term or phrase: olly olly home free | Greetings,
As a Brit I've always found this idiom rather puzzling.
First of all, how is it used exactly in children’s game? And what exactly does it mean in the following sentence, please?
Try committing a murder at Gitmo, and telling the judge you're olly olly home free because it isn't American soil and American laws don't apply.
http://www.gunandgame.com/forums/powder-keg/30325-us-says-ta...
Is it sometimes abbreviated to “home free”, by any chance? Just now I'm listening to Wayne Watson, a Christian singer/songwriter who sings:
Home free - eventually
At the ultimate healing
We will be home free
Home free.
Incidentally, does anyone have any idea where this mysterious “olly olly” comes from?
All the best,
Simon |
| SeiTTKudoZ activityQuestions: 3244 ( 2 open) ( 6 closed without grading) Answers: 1
United Kingdom
| Local time: 22:13
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| | response to the game of "hide and seek". | Explanation:
OK, I'm not sure how it is in the UK but here's what I know about this from the States. When children here play the game "hide and seek" there are times when the child who has chosen the role of the "looker" or the "finder" cannot, for one reason or another, find all of the children who have decided to "hide". There is also usually a time limit involved. Maybe the children who hid picked a really excellent spot or the child who is looking has simply decided to give up or maybe it's just time for everyone to go home for supper. In any case, when and if the children decided to finish the game if there are any children who have not yet been found the child who is the "finder" will call out "Olly, olly, oxen free" (at least that's what it sounded like to me as a child) and this serves as a signal to the children who have not been found that it is time for them to emerge from their hiding places and, presumably, move on to other enjoyable childhood activities. I said this many, many times as a child and never knew its exact linguistic origin, I simply learned it from the other children that I played with. As I'm sure you can see, "Olly, olly oxen free" sounds very much like "Alle, alle auch sind frei" so I'm sure that's the original expression. Within the context of your current question I think that they are saying that if the defendant commits a murder at Gitmo he's not going to automatically get off by being able to claim that Gitmo is not American soil (and, therefore, American laws don't apply) but now we're verging off into an entirely different area. Take it from me, "Olly, olly, oxen free" (or any variant thereof) is, at least originally (and more innocently), a child's response to other children within the context of a game we've all played. I hope that this helps. |
| Selected response from:
Will Matter
United States
Local time: 14:13
| Grading comment many thanks excellent
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer |
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| Discussion entries: 0 |
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Automatic update in 00:
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35 mins confidence:   free of guilt/punishment
Explanation:
I am not sure where the "olly olly" comes from, but in both instances you gave, this is the meaning.
In childrens' games, it means something more akin to "I didn't get caught!" (as I'm sure you know)
Hope this helps.
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1 hr confidence: peer agreement (net): +4 | olly olly oxen free response to the game of "hide and seek".
Explanation:
OK, I'm not sure how it is in the UK but here's what I know about this from the States. When children here play the game "hide and seek" there are times when the child who has chosen the role of the "looker" or the "finder" cannot, for one reason or another, find all of the children who have decided to "hide". There is also usually a time limit involved. Maybe the children who hid picked a really excellent spot or the child who is looking has simply decided to give up or maybe it's just time for everyone to go home for supper. In any case, when and if the children decided to finish the game if there are any children who have not yet been found the child who is the "finder" will call out "Olly, olly, oxen free" (at least that's what it sounded like to me as a child) and this serves as a signal to the children who have not been found that it is time for them to emerge from their hiding places and, presumably, move on to other enjoyable childhood activities. I said this many, many times as a child and never knew its exact linguistic origin, I simply learned it from the other children that I played with. As I'm sure you can see, "Olly, olly oxen free" sounds very much like "Alle, alle auch sind frei" so I'm sure that's the original expression. Within the context of your current question I think that they are saying that if the defendant commits a murder at Gitmo he's not going to automatically get off by being able to claim that Gitmo is not American soil (and, therefore, American laws don't apply) but now we're verging off into an entirely different area. Take it from me, "Olly, olly, oxen free" (or any variant thereof) is, at least originally (and more innocently), a child's response to other children within the context of a game we've all played. I hope that this helps.
| Will Matter
United States
Local time: 14:13
Specializes in field
Native speaker of:  English
PRO pts in category: 28
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