A call in a children's game to say that players in hiding are free to come out.

Etymology:

  • There is a lot of controversy over what the exact phrase is. Different people say it differently and remember it differently. There doesn't seem to be a consensus. Ollie Ollie Oxen Free seems to be common, Ollie Ollie All In Free, Ollie Ollie Otts And Free and about 29 other versions when you research it on the internet. Who knows what is definitive?
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When kids play hide-and-go-seek or Marco Polo and someone gets caught, the person who was "it" says "Ollie Ollie oxen free" to let everyone still hiding know that that part of the gave is over and they can come out. The person who got caught becomes the new "it" for the next round.

Submitted on July 07, 2010

Modified by TriplePurple on May 28, 2024

Translation

Find a translation for the olly olly oxen free phrase in other languages:

olly olly oxen frei

χωρίς κόκαλα

olly olly bovoj senpage

Olly Olly Oxen Free

tulkaa pois, kaikki vapaa

olly olly sans bœufs

olly oxly-mentes

ללא שוורים

олли олли волов

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    "olly olly oxen free." Phrases.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 21 Nov. 2024. <https://www.phrases.com/phrase/olly-olly-oxen-free_20660>.

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