Idioms

take the mickey | mick out of someone

This page is about the idiom take the mickey | mick out of someone

British English INFORMAL

Meaning

If you're taking the mickey out of someone, or taking the mick out of them, you're making fun of them or copying their behaviour for a laugh.

For example

  • When I moved to the U.S., I upset a few people by taking the mickey out of them. They didn't understand that it was just for fun, and I wasn't being mean to them.

  • Taking the mick out of someone can help them to learn how not to take themselves too seriously.

Variety

This idiom is typically used in British English but may be used in other varieties of English too.

Quick Quiz

Clyde is great at taking the mickey out of people. He can be

a. really helpful

b. really funny

c. really sensitive
a) really helpful b) really funny c) really sensitive

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Common English Idioms

Contributor: Matt Errey