Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

take out an onion

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.88 in modern English

Syllables: take out an o-nion
IPA

18

Scrabble Score

14

Letters

2

Syllables

8

Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

Suggests that the performer of the action is not sincere in their grief.

Example Sentences

"He’s almost taking out an onion now as he remembers his father and his own early struggles."
""I don't want the next generation to misunderstand history" Mr Chea told a packed court, no doubt taking out an onion as he did so. "I don't want them to believe the Khmer Rouge were bad people, war criminals.""
"I sympathise, of course, (takes out onion) with Ken’s own experience of how hard it is to find employment, in a particularly tough job market for embittered old lefties."

Etymology

The vapours from sliced onions cause tears, allowing someone to pretend to cry. Coined by Private Eye and used as a mock stage description, originally to describe Harold MacMillan.

Inflected Forms

takes out an onion (present, singular) taking out an onion (participle, present) took out an onion (past) taken out an onion (participle, past)

Phrases

crocodile tears

Frequently Paired Words

crocodile tears

Questions

What does take out an onion mean?: Suggests that the performer of the action is not sincere in their grief.
Where does take out an onion come from?: The vapours from sliced onions cause tears, allowing someone to pretend to cry. Coined by Private Eye and used as a mock stage description, originally to describe Harold MacMillan.

How to pronounce take out an onion

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