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I'll be a monkey's uncle

idiom
Meaning

Often preceded by well: expressing complete surprise or disbelief.


Origin

first recorded 20th c. disputed origin

Uncertain; the term monkey’s uncle appears in 19th-century works and may allude to early ideas about what is now called the theory of evolution. The term may then have gained more currency after the widely publicized 1925 Scopes Trial in Tennessee, United States, in which a high-school teacher was found guilty of having violated a law prohibiting the teaching of human evolution in a state-funded school.

Examples
SIMPLE

Well, I'll be a monkey's uncle, you actually won the lottery.

CONTEXTUAL

When my old friend walked into the room after ten years, I said, "Well, I'll be a monkey's uncle!"

COMPLEX

Upon discovering that the reclusive professor had finally published his masterpiece, I exclaimed, "Well, I'll be a monkey's uncle!"

Anchors to
Related idioms8entries
  1. 01

    Bob's your uncle

    No problem, the solution is simple, there you have it, it's that easy, you have what you want, all will be well: indicates a desirable conclusion has been reached with ease.

  2. 02

    I'll be

    Expressing surprise.

  3. 03

    I'll be bound

    An expression of surprise.

  4. 04

    I'll be damned

    An expression of surprise.

  5. 05

    I'll be danged

    An expression of surprise.

  6. 06

    I'll say

    Used to indicate emphatic agreement

  7. 07

    I'll tell you

    Synonym of I can tell you.

  8. 08

    say uncle

    Synonym of cry uncle.

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