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Anonymous Posted 19 years ago
Speech & Pronunciation

What does "Alley oop" mean?

0It is said by a character Z in the animated movie "Antz."02br
00Z: (snapping out of it) Sorry Azteca. Here you go, fellas! Fresh dirt! 01b01font00Alley oop!02font02b00 (looking at the dirt) Shouldn't we be wearing the gloves? ..... 0-
  

Top answer

02br 02br 00 I've also heard it from fathers lifting one of their young children into the air and up onto their shoulders -- for example, to give the child a better view of something. "02br 02br 00 CJ0-

— CalifJim

  • 02br 02br 00 I've also heard it from fathers lifting one of their young children into the air and up onto their shoulders -- for example, to give the child a better view of something.
  • "02br 02br 00 CJ0-
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3 Answers
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0 m-w.com shows this:02br
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00 alteration of 01i00allez-oop,02i00 cry of a circus acrobat about to leap, probably from French 01i00allez,02i00 2d person plural imperative of 01i00aller02i00 to go + English 01i00-oop,02i00 perhaps alteration of 01i00up02i02br
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The French acrobat's term also became the name of a famous comic strip caveman hero, Alley Oop. I have a copy of the Official History of the NFL (National Football League) book, which states that the phrase was orignally used in football, but later was dropped in football and picked up in basketball. The book states that the origin of the phrase was the comic strip, that people doing the shot (or
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It occurred to me that Alley Oop was transported through time from his cave man existence into the 20th century, a leap through time, and got me to wondering if the basketball term came from the cartoon. I also am familiar with French terms "allez hop" and wondered if the cartoon got its beginning from Alley Oops leap through time..
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