# Cecil, you're wrong on "ollie ollie oxen free" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [January 31, 2003, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cecil-youre-wrong-on-ollie-ollie-oxen-free/151988 "2003-01-31T23:35:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![cobra427](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c37758/32.png) [@cobra427](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cobra427)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2003, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cecil-youre-wrong-on-ollie-ollie-oxen-free/151988/1 "2003-01-31T23:35:04Z")
Cecil, The phrase that gets slurred by very young kids while playing Hide and Seek, when there is a winner and everyone out hiding needs to come in to start a new game is, “All in. All in. All outs in free.” ---
**Author:** ![cobra427](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c37758/32.png) [@cobra427](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cobra427)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2003, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cecil-youre-wrong-on-ollie-ollie-oxen-free/151988/2 "2003-01-31T23:37:27Z")
I forgot to put in the link to the column, and I got an error trying to edit my original message… [http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a900622a.html](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a900622a.html) ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cecil-youre-wrong-on-ollie-ollie-oxen-free/151988/3 "2003-02-01T00:02:28Z")
Welcome, \*\*Cobra[/b[. Thanks for including the link, which many new posters do NOT. You might find it interesting to read five previous threads which concern the column. I’ll post the link. [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/search.php?s=&action=showresults&searchid=394296&sortby=lastpost&sortorder=descending](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/search.php?s=&action=showresults&searchid=394296&sortby=lastpost&sortorder=descending) If you think you know the true answer, you should provide some proof. ---
**Author:** ![cobra427](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c37758/32.png) [@cobra427](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cobra427)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cecil-youre-wrong-on-ollie-ollie-oxen-free/151988/4 "2003-02-01T04:46:14Z")
OK Doubting Thomas, I might not have got the phrase exactly verbatim by memory to what many think, but read the Webster Dictionary website: [http://www.m-w.com/wftw/01apr/040601.htm](http://www.m-w.com/wftw/01apr/040601.htm) or Random House Dictionary website: > **[Penguin Random House](https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com?date=19970422)** > > Committed to publishing great books, connecting readers and authors globally, and spreading the love of reading. ---
**Author:** ![John\_W.Kennedy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_w.kennedy/32/1031_2.png) [@John\_W.Kennedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_W.Kennedy)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cecil-youre-wrong-on-ollie-ollie-oxen-free/151988/5 "2003-02-01T14:59:12Z")
I can testify that, in central Maine in the 50’s, it was “All-y, all-y outs in free.” ---
**Author:** ![RM\_Mentock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e274bd/32.png) [@RM\_Mentock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RM_Mentock)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cecil-youre-wrong-on-ollie-ollie-oxen-free/151988/6 "2003-02-01T17:13:42Z")
That’s the way I remember it, Ally Ally Outs In Free. Not that that means anything. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2003, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cecil-youre-wrong-on-ollie-ollie-oxen-free/151988/7 "2003-02-02T03:23:25Z")
**Cobra**. Sorry if I sounded off on my first post. I don’t see where you and Cecil are disagreeing with each other. You said > [@](#): > > The phrase that gets slurred by very young kids while playing Hide and Seek, when there is a winner and everyone out hiding needs to come in to start a new game is, “All in. All in. All outs in free.” Cecil said in his column > [@](#): > > Word sleuths William and Mary Morris offer “Olly, Olly octen free” and “Olly, Olly, all in free,” the last being pretty close to what is undoubtedly the original expression, “All the outs in free.” Where’s the controversy?