nuncle

English

Etymology

From rebracketing of phrases an uncle, mine uncle, thine uncle, etc. Compare neam and naunt.

For the verb, OED suggests an evolution in sense "to claim to be one's uncle" > "to cheat". It compares this derivation with cozen, which it derives from cousin.

Noun

nuncle (plural nuncles)

  1. (archaic or dialectal) Uncle.
    • 1605, Shakespeare, King Lear:
      Fool: Prithee, nuncle, tell me whether a madman be a gentleman or a yeoman?

Verb

nuncle (third-person singular simple present nuncles, present participle nuncling, simple past and past participle nuncled)

  1. (England, regional) To cheat, deceive.
    Synonym: belirt

Anagrams

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