mike

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: love, mike, of

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

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. © 2015 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

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: 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: love, mike, 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!

For the love of Mike!

verb

See For Pete’s sake!

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

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