Donate SIGN UP

taking the mick

Avatar Image
x31tna | 22:03 Sun 28th Sep 2008 | Phrases & Sayings
4 Answers
where does the saying taking the mick come from???
Gravatar

Answers

1 to 4 of 4rss feed

Best Answer

No best answer has yet been selected by x31tna. Once a best answer has been selected, it will be shown here.

For more on marking an answer as the "Best Answer", please visit our FAQ.
Phrase Origins says "...Partridge's "Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English" dates this expression to c. 1950, and gives its origin as rhyming slang ("Mickey Bliss"). Mickey Bliss, thought to be BBC radio personality, has never been conclusively identified.

A competing theory is that "taking the mick" was derived from the verb, "micturate" (to urinate)."

I've just watched a 1953 British film that used the term 'taking the Mike'. It's apparently even older
http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-tak1.htm
A version "extracting the Michael" is becoming in vogue currently in Australia.
I've heard of another source for this that's to do with the need for a male to urinate during sleep, and so waking with an erection. (A '****-proud'). After urinating, the erection goes, So by 'extracting, (or taking), the p1ss' you're deflating the other person's ego. Then take Clanad's Michael Bliss connection to get 'Taking the Mick'.

1 to 4 of 4rss feed

Do you know the answer?

taking the mick

Answer Question >>