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Nuncle

noun, verb

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    Uncle. archaic, dialectal

    "Fool: Prithee, nuncle, tell me whether a madman be a gentleman or a yeoman?"

  2. 2
    Aunt or uncle; sibling of a parent (regardless of gender).
Verb
  1. 1
    To cheat, deceive. England, regional

Etymology

Etymology 1

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. For the technical anthropological sense, compare nibling.

Etymology 2

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. For the technical anthropological sense, compare nibling.

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