take the mickey/mick (out of someone)

[thedaffodils]

mickey /"mIk.i/ noun UK INFORMAL
take the mickey/mick (out of someone) to laugh at someone and make them seem silly, by copying their behaviour or tricking them in an amusing or unkind way:
A group of other boys were taking the mickey out of him.
She's always taking the mick - she's got no respect for the managers at all.

The definition is quoted from the Cambridge Dictionary. I don't understand what 'mickey' refers to. Is it related to mickey mouse?

Thanks!

[konungursvia]

No, I think it refers to the pride, dignity and standing of a person, so taking the mickey out of someone is teasing them. Alternatively, it may be a pejorative term for Irishmen, in which case the origin would be something like taking the Irish out of an Irishman, with a similarly mocking or teasing meaning.

[thedaffodils]

Hello konungursvia,

Thank you for your reply. I still don't completely understand. Do you also refer to the definition from the Cambridge Dictionary is not appropriate?

[konungursvia]

That definition looks quite good too. But it does mean tease, often in an unpleasant way, or to mock.

[BobK]

No, I think it refers to the pride, dignity and standing of a person, so taking the mickey out of someone is teasing them. Alternatively, it may be a pejorative term for Irishmen, in which case the origin would be something like taking the Irish out of an Irishman, with a similarly mocking or teasing meaning.

Sounds good to me. 'Mick' is (or was) a stereotypical name/term of abuse for an Irishman. 'Taking the mickey' might easily have originated in the context of imitating an Irish accent. But the origin doesn't matter much any more - the general use is common.

I've also heard 'take the Michael' (usually in a display of mock-formality)

b.

[MrPedantic]

I have seen "mickey" presented as an abbreviation for "Mickey Bliss", and the latter as rhyming slang for "piss".

Thus "taking the mickey" = "taking the piss".

(I don't know how true it is. It has the look of post-rationalisation.)

MrP

[Tdol]

I've seen 'Mickey Finn' (drug to make you sleep) as another possibility.