British slang

[Tim Regan]

No: HPFGUIDX 63304

Hi All,

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, danielle <drdara at y...> 
> can someone help me out by explaining how they
> use it in the UK???


So the Oxford English Dictionary suggests that it is rhyming slang 
for `taking the piss' (do Americans use that term?). Here are the 
full entries (the first is for `take the mike', which I've never 
heard, and the second is for `take the mickey'):

Origin uncertain; perh. after Mike Bliss, rhyming slang (listed in 
J. Franklin Dict. Rhyming Slang (ed. 2, 1961) 158) for piss (see to 
take the piss (out of) s.v. PISS n. 2).] 

    Only in to take the mike out of: = to take the mickey out of 
s.v. MICKEY n.1 7.
  Not found in North America. 
 
  a1935 T. E. LAWRENCE Mint (1955) II. vi. 117 But, mate, you let 
the flight down, when he takes the mike out of you every time. 1935 
G. INGRAM Cockney Cavalcade i. 14 He wouldn't let Pancake `take the 
mike' out of him. 1940 N. & Q. 1 June 382/1 `Taking the mike out of' 
anyone means pulling his leg, having a game with him. 1956 J. CANNAN 
People to be Found i. 14 They won't 'alf take the mike out of 'im. 
1973 `B. MATHER' Snowline vi. 75 Watch it... The Swami don't dig 
taking the mike out of the gods.
 

7. colloq. (chiefly Brit.). to take the mickey (out of): to behave 
or speak satirically or mockingly; to make fun of, satirize, or 
debunk (a person or thing). Cf. MIKE n.7, PISS n. 2. 
 
  1948 A. BARON From City, from Plough vi. 49 `Higgsy,' said the 
sergeant, `they think I'm taking the mickey. Tell 'em.' 1952 `J. 
HENRY' Who lie in Gaol iv. 66 She's a terror. I expect she'll try 
and take the mickey out of you all right. Don't you stand for 
nothin'. 1957 L. P. HARTLEY Hireling 134 He had no great regard for 
Constance, except in so far as she sometimes took the mickey out of 
Hughie. 1958 Observer 28 Dec. 3/1 `Tonight' is not only a tough and 
irreverent programme, but glib and smart and anxious to take the 
mickey. 1960 E. W. HILDICK Jim Starling & Colonel ix. 76 The servers 
must have thought that no boy would dare to take the mickey in such 
circumstances. 1971 B. W. ALDISS Soldier Erect 101 Geordie looked 
anxiously at me, in case I thought he was taking the micky too hard. 
1991 Sunday Sun (Brisbane) 3 Feb. 6/5, I don't think there is any 
subject that is too serious to take the micky out of.


Isn't the OED fantastic?

Cheers,

Dumbledad.