take the mickey (out of someone)
idiomatic phrase
British, informal
: to make fun of someone
Everyone laughed, but nobody laughed harder than Luna Lovegood. … "Are you taking the mickey?" said Ron, frowning at her.—
J. K. Rowling
J. K. Rowling"They're my favorite band, so whatever they do, I'm a fan. I occasionally take the mickey out of Mick, but nobody takes the mickey out of Keith Richards and gets away with it."—Pete Townsend
Pete TownsendExamples of take the mickey (out of someone) in a Sentence
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His calls to his fellow Slough Housers go unanswered until Louisa (Harlots actress Rosalind Eleazar), always eager to take the mickey out of the cocky hacktivist, answers and explains that their boss, heavy-drinking, gas-passing Jackson Lamb (Gary Oldman), lied to Roddy to get him out of his hair.
—Hayden Mears, TVLine, 4 Sep. 2024
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Hayden Mears, TVLine, 4 Sep. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Take the mickey (out of someone).” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/take%20the%20mickey%20%28out%20of%20someone%29. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
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