# Olie olie ox in free!!! **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 17, 2001, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olie-olie-ox-in-free/65692 "2001-05-17T05:43:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Whammo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8dc957/32.png) [@Whammo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whammo)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2001, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olie-olie-ox-in-free/65692/1 "2001-05-17T05:43:13Z")
When I was a kid, in the summer and after dark, all the neighborhood chillins would play “hide and go seek” outside. We’re talking 20 kids or more in a gigantic game. When the first kid was “caught” without touching home base he was out. To let everyone else in the game know that someone was out and that they could come out from hiding we would yell the above. How many other people did this and what does it mean?? ---
**Author:** ![suziek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8491ac/32.png) [@suziek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suziek)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2001, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olie-olie-ox-in-free/65692/2 "2001-05-17T05:53:27Z")
It’s “all the, all the outs in free”, to tell them it’s safe to come in. ---
**Author:** ![Sue\_Duhnym](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/91b2a8/32.png) [@Sue\_Duhnym](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sue_Duhnym)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2001, 7:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olie-olie-ox-in-free/65692/3 "2001-05-17T07:39:48Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by suziek \* > \*\*It’s “all the, all the outs in free”, to tell them it’s safe to come in. \*\* You have a cite for that? Where I grew up it was “Ollie Ollie Oxen Free” also. ---
**Author:** ![Sue\_Duhnym](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/91b2a8/32.png) [@Sue\_Duhnym](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sue_Duhnym)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2001, 7:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olie-olie-ox-in-free/65692/4 "2001-05-17T07:52:02Z")
Google to the rescue again! Though there seems to be some disagreement. [http://www.quinion.com/words/qa/qa-oll1.htm](http://www.quinion.com/words/qa/qa-oll1.htm) [http://www.czbrats.com/Facts/ollie.htm](http://www.czbrats.com/Facts/ollie.htm) [http://www.shu.ac.uk/web-admin/phrases/bulletin\_board/4/messages/992.html](http://www.shu.ac.uk/web-admin/phrases/bulletin_board/4/messages/992.html) [Take Our Word For It Issue 89](http://www.takeourword.com/Issue089.html) (about 2/3 down) > **[LINGUIST List 6.655: Hide-n-Seek all clear call, Babies' intellect](https://linguistlist.org/issues/6/6-655/)** > > Sum: Hide-n-Seek all clear call, Babies' intellect ---
**Author:** ![Linear\_Crack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Linear\_Crack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Linear_Crack)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2001, 7:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olie-olie-ox-in-free/65692/5 "2001-05-17T07:59:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Sue Duhnym \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by suziek \* > > \*\*It’s “all the, all the outs in free”, to tell them it’s safe to come in. \*\* > > You have a cite for that? > > Where I grew up it was “Ollie Ollie Oxen Free” also. \*\* [Here ya go](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a900622a.html) I agree with Cecil though, Naked Twister is much funner. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2001, 8:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olie-olie-ox-in-free/65692/6 "2001-05-17T08:00:23Z")
Cecil knows best: [http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a900622a.html](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a900622a.html) ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2001, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olie-olie-ox-in-free/65692/7 "2001-05-17T08:03:24Z")
Wretched newbie beat me to the @#% #%^ #%^& %^&!!! Oh, I mean…uhhhhh…::D&R:: 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2001, 8:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olie-olie-ox-in-free/65692/8 "2001-05-17T08:05:06Z")
Ahhh…the infamous “::D&R::” Stupid smilies… You should rename this thread “Watch Cisco make a complete ass out of himself” It’s way past my bedtime, and I apologize for that. ---
**Author:** ![suziek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8491ac/32.png) [@suziek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suziek)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2001, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olie-olie-ox-in-free/65692/9 "2001-05-18T01:06:53Z")
When I was a kid, many moons ago, that’s what WE USED TO SAY. What can I tell you?? You guys must be spring chickens or something and over the years it got changed to the oxen thingie.