mike

for the love of God

An oath of shock, exasperation, annoyance, frustration, or anger. For the love of God, I didn't even see that car coming! Would you let me finish my story, for the love of God? Oh for the love of God, I just had the car fixed and now you've put a dent in it!

See also: for, god, love, of

for the love of Mike

A mild oath of shock, exasperation, annoyance, frustration, or anger, with "Mike" being a euphemistic substitution for "God." For the love of Mike, I didn't even see that car coming! Would you let me finish my story, for the love of Mike? Oh for the love of Mike, I just had the car fixed and now you've put a dent in it!

See also: for, love, mike, of

for the love of Pete

A mild oath of shock, exasperation, annoyance, frustration, or anger, with "Pete" being a euphemistic substitution for "God." For the love of Pete, I didn't even see that car coming! Would you let me finish my story, for the love of Pete? Oh for the love of Pete, I just had the car fixed and now you've put a dent in it!

See also: for, love, of, Pete

hot mike

informal A microphone that is still recording or transmitting audio without the knowledge of someone within its range. The politician launched into a poisonous invective against immigrants and minorities after the cameras turned off, not aware of the hot mike broadcasting his every word to the whole world. Did you hear about the morning show host who was caught on a hot mike calling his co-host "dumb as a box of rocks"? A: "What's the latest controversy?" B: "Well, a hot mike backstage picked up someone making some pretty misogynistic comments."

See also: hot, mike

mic drop

"Mic" is an informal shortening of "microphone."

1. verb To dramatically drop one's microphone (or, especially, to mimic the motion of such) after a particularly decisive or impressive performance, action, or statement. Did you see him mic drop after that rap battle? Right in the middle of the meeting, she exposed her boss's crooked dealings, announced that she was quitting, mic dropped, and walked out of the board room.

2. noun A decisive or impressive statement or action. You were so confident during your presentation that the last slide was like, boom, mic drop! I think the partners were very impressed. That dunk was the mic drop that ended the series.

See also: drop, mic

mike

informal

1. noun A shortening of "microphone." Make sure your mike is on before we start recording. Did you see him mike drop after that rap battle?

2. verb To equip or supply (someone or something) with a microphone. Our sound engineer will mike you before the show begins. Federal agents miked the room, hoping to capture the subject incriminating himself on tape.

mike drop

"Mike" is an informal shortening of "microphone."

1. verb To dramatically drop one's microphone (or, especially, to mimic the motion of such) after a particularly decisive or impressive performance, action, or statement. Did you see him mike drop after that rap battle? Right in the middle of the meeting, she exposed her boss's crooked dealings, announced that she was quitting, mike dropped, and walked out of the board room.

2. noun A particularly decisive or impressive statement or action. You were so confident during your presentation that the last slide was like, boom, mike drop! I think the partners were very impressed. That dunk was the mike drop that ended the series.

See also: drop, mike

mike up

informal To fit a portable microphone to a person or thing. A noun or pronoun can be used between "mike" and "up." I still need to mike up the guests before we begin the interview. I don't like it when musicals mike the actors up. It's just really distracting to see. It turns out the police had miked up the company's office to record evidence of their illegal dealings.

See also: mike, up

sure, Mike

obsolete An exclamation of affirmation, approval, or assent. Primarily heard in US. A: "Hey, pal, take me to 42nd and Main—and make it snappy!" B: "Sure, Mike!" A: "Do you sell pocket watch chains?" B: "Sure, Mike. Right this way."

See also: mike

take the mike (out of someone or something)

To tease, mock, or ridicule (someone or something); to joke or kid around (about someone or something). A less common variant of "take the mickey (out of someone)," itself a variant of "take the piss (out of someone)." Primarily heard in UK, Ireland. If you are so serious-minded that you can't take the mike out of yourself every once in a while, you're going to have a hard time enjoying most of life. It really hurt Steph's feelings to know that the group had been taking the mike out of her that whole time. Brian was a bit of a troublesome student and tended to take the mike whenever class began.

See also: mike, of, someone, take

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

For Pete's sake!

 and For pity's sake!; For the love of Mike!; For goodness sake!; For gosh sake!; For heaven('s) sake!

a mild exclamation of surprise or shock. For Pete's sake! How've ya been? For pity's sake! Ask the man in out of the cold!

See also: for

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

for the love of

1. For the sake of, in consideration of. For example, She signed up for all these volunteer jobs for the love of praise. [c. 1200]

2. for the love of Pete or Mike or God . An exclamation of surprise, exasperation, or some similar feeling, as in For the love of Pete, give me the money! James Joyce used this idiom in Ulysses (1922): "For the love of Mike listen to him." Pete and Mike are euphemisms for God. [Early 1900s] Also see for the sake of, def. 3.

See also: for, love, of

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

for the love of Mike

used to accompany an exasperated request or to express dismay. British informal

Mike is perhaps used here as a generic name for an Irishman; compare with mickey in take the mickey out of (at mickey).

See also: for, love, mike, of

Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017

for the love of ˈGod

(old-fashioned, spoken) used when you are expressing anger and the fact that you are impatient: For the love of God, be quiet! I’m trying to concentrate.

See also: for, god, love, of

Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017

For Pete’s sake!

and For pity’s sake! and For the love of Mike!

exclam. Good grief! For Pete’s sake! Is that you Charlie? For pity’s sake! Ask the man in out of the cold!

See also: for

For the love of Mike!

verb

See For Pete’s sake!

See also: for, love, of

McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

for the love of

For the sake of; in consideration for: did it all for the love of praise.

See also: for, love, of

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

for the love of Mike/Pete/God

An expression of exasperation, surprise, or the like. Pete and Mike both are euphemisms for God, which is considered blasphemous by some. They date from the early 1900s. See also for heaven's/Pete's/pity's sake. James Joyce used one in Ulysses (1922), “For the love of Mike, listen to him.”

See also: for, god, love, mike, of, Pete

The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer Copyright © 2013 by Christine Ammer