whoopie hide
Hide-and-seek, mountain kids' name for the game.
Also called whoopy hide, hoopie hide, whoopee-hide, hide and whoop.
Updated September 24, 2026
whoopie hide pronunciation
/WOOP-ee hide/
Meaning
Whoopie hide is hide-and-seek. Smoky Mountain kids called it whoopyhide, whoopee-hide, or hoopie hide. One counts at base, the rest scatter behind rocks, barns, and cars. Beat It back to base and you are safe. Same game city kids play, just a louder country name, likely from the whoop when the search starts.
How folks use it
- “We'd play whoopie hide behind the big boulders beside the road.”
- “Us boys liked running games best, like base, whoopee-hide, and tag.”
Origin and etymology
Dictionary of Smoky Mountain English lists whoopy hide and hoopie hide as hide-and-seek, same as hide and whoop. DARE collected the form around Burnsville, Gatlinburg, and Maryville. Name may come from the caller's cry when the hunt begins.
Frequently asked questions
Is whoopie hide a place or a game?
A game. It is hide-and-seek. The hiding spots are just where you duck during play.