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The Real McCoy: Why We Say the Things We Say
English is incredibly rich language, full of colorful and unusual phrases and expressions. This entertaining book illuminates the question of why we say the things we say. The Real McCoy gives the fascinating stories behind hundreds of the most interesting and commonly used idioms in the English language-from 'black sheep' to 'mad hatter' they're all here. Each phrase has been thoroughly researched to uncover its origins and the way it has been used in the past. The book includes a section focusing on idioms linked by a common theme, such as phrases coined by Shakespeare, nautical phrases, or phrases with Biblical origin.
Written in a lively and approachable style, The Real McCoy includes specially commissioned cartoons to illustrate the idioms making this great book a truly entertaining look at the colorful side of the English language.
Written in a lively and approachable style, The Real McCoy includes specially commissioned cartoons to illustrate the idioms making this great book a truly entertaining look at the colorful side of the English language.
- GenresNonfictionReference
Hardcover
First published December 8, 2005
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April 16, 2026
I can never resist a book on the topic of language, especially one that deals in the subject of my undergraduate thesis. Though not comprehensive or especially detailed, The Real McCoy, written by Oxford author Georgia Hole, is entertaining and would make a good gift for a language lover, though I really didn’t find much in this little volume that I hadn’t already heard or guessed myself.
Idioms (and figurative language in general) are integral to communication within the English language; they add color to our phrases, bring out our linguistic character, and even mark the evolution and preservation of our culture. Some idioms have been around for thousands of years and have survived multiple linguistic shifts, while others have only been around as long as radio, television, or rap music. Organized like a miniature cross between a dictionary and an encyclopedia, The Real McCoy delves into every possible aspect of idioms’ origins, including but not limited to history, grammar, etymology, linguistics, literature, science, politics, geography, religion, mythology, social customs, medicine, superstition, nautical terms, and the military. It’s amazing to me how many idioms originated from games and sports, the military, and mythology/religion. The Bible, the works of William Shakespeare, and Aesop’s fables are responsible for probably a quarter of the entire book’s contents, but Hole includes allusions to everything from Plato and the Salem Witch Trials to the Titanic and modern sitcoms.
Published by Oxford and punctuated with the cutest little cartoonish illustrations, The Real McCoy includes the origins of over 450 idioms, some of which are extremely ancient and others that have mutated in meaning over time. The book is arranged alphabetically with a brief definition and entry about the idiom’s place of origin, range of uses, and evolution over time, many in reference to famous uses in literature or political speeches. There are ten special sections interwoven with these entries, each with a list and evaluation of a specific category of popular idioms — animals, biblical expressions, colors, eating and drinking, foreign countries, legends and myths, nautical expressions, parts of the body, Shakespeare’s plays, and sports. The book closes with an thematic index grouping the idioms by subject or type. Since it was published in 2005, The Real McCoy of course contains dated references to the internet or contemporary technology (and modern celebrities like Michael Jackson, Halle Berry, and Bill Clinton), and in 2026, it lacks some idioms that are now in frequent use. Obviously, a few of the idioms are a bit rude, but Hole writes with humor and good taste for the most part.
The origins of some idioms are more obvious than others, and unfortunately Hole often has to merely speculate on the ones we don’t know much about. While some of the entries are clever or memorable, there were only a handful that made me sit up and take notice. I felt that Hole could have done more research or insight into some of the idioms’ origins, and I felt that it could have been much more inclusive; I thought of probably fifty additional phrases that were never included in this book (though I realize this is more of a handbook than a scholarly study). Many of the idioms included are of the more basic variety, the kind that anyone could figure out if they thought hard enough; even more disappointing, many of the entries Hole writes tell no origin at all but just describe the idiom’s usage. As an American, I was also surprised to see a lot of regional differences between the same idioms in American English versus UK English — “full of beans,” “give someone the bird,” “knock spots off,” and “go west” all have very different meanings across the pond. Still, The Real McCoy provides a good reminder that idioms do not materialize from thin air; they always have some sort of an origin, and they always reflect the character of their language’s speakers.
I kept a list of some of the more interesting idioms I came across, as well as their definitions and origins, so that I can add them to my ever-growing list of linguistic curiosities:
• Go ape — “become violently excited or angry” — originates from the 1933 movie King Kong, in which a giant ape unleashes his wrath on New York City
• Have someone over a barrel — “have someone at your mercy” — refers to the old practice of, after rescuing a person from drowning, laying them facedown over a barrel to let the water drain from their lungs, after which they would owe a debt to whoever saved them
• Make no bones about something — “have no hesitation in saying or doing something” — evokes the image of a person eating a bowl of soup that contains no bones and therefore being able to eat without restraint
• Close but no cigar — “almost but not quite successful” — refers to arm-wrestling tournaments in which the prize was often a cigar and the losers would be comforted with this phrase
• Go cold turkey — “abruptly and completely stop taking drugs” — draws on the idea that withdrawals usually result in chills and shivers, which cause goosebumps not unlike the flesh of a dead goose or turkey
• Show your true colors — “reveal your real character or intentions” — references the practice of enemy ships sailing under fake flags (or colors) to gain their enemies’ trust, only to reveal themselves as pirates or warlords afterward
• Lay something at someone’s door — “regard someone as responsible for something” — refers to an unmarried mother laying her baby on the father’s doorstep to publicly shame him into supporting their child
• Go Dutch — “agree to share the cost of a meal with someone” — comes from the old-time assumption by the English, who believed that their Dutch enemies were miserly
• Excuse my French — “an apology for the use of bad language” — hearkens back to the days in England when speaking French was no more acceptable than using profanity
• With flying colors — “with distinction” — borrows the idea of an army still flying its regimental colors or flags at the end of a battle to show that they had been victorious
• Wear your heart on your sleeve — “make your feelings apparent” — originates from the days of medieval jousting tournaments in which knights would wear a favor of their lady tied to their sleeves to show their affection and love
• Jump the shark — “(of a television series) reach a point when far-fetched events are included merely for the sake of novelty” — refers to an episode near the end of the 1970s sitcom Happy Days, in which the Fonz literally jumps over a shark while waterskiing
• In a nutshell — “in the fewest possible words” — references the ancient belief that there was once a copy of Homer’s lengthy Iliad that was small enough to fit inside a nutshell
• Cut someone to the quick — “upset someone very much” — refers to how painful it is to cut yourself down to the quick, which is the sensitive flesh under a fingernail or toenail
• Take a rain check — “refuse an offer, reserving the right to take it up at a later date” — comes from the old-fashioned term for tickets offered to spectators when an outdoor event was postponed by rain
• From scratch — “from the very beginning, without making use of any previous work” — refers to a practice in footracing in which some runners were given a short head start, while others had to start at a predetermined scratch (or mark) with no advantage
• By the seat of your pants — “by instinct rather than logic or knowledge” — originates from the military myth that experienced pilots could tell if their plane’s engine was going to stall simply by the vibrations they felt in the pilot seat
• Steal someone’s thunder — “win attention for yourself by pre-empting someone else’s attempt to impress” — hearkens back to English dramatist John Dennis, who invented a practical method for creating a thunder sound effect in the theater, then became enraged when he heard it used in a Shakespeare performance of Macbeth, which he said “stole his thunder”
• Turn the tables — “turn a position of disadvantage into one of advantage” — references the older practice of turning a chessboard around between games so that each player had to play from what their opponent’s position had previously been
• Upper crust — “the upper classes” — borrows the belief that medieval cooks would scrape the nicely browned crust off the top of freshly-baked bread for the lords and ladies of the house, leaving the hard, blackened lower crust for the servants
• A white elephant — “a useless or unwanted possession, especially one that’s expensive to maintain” — references a story about the king of Siam, who gave his least favorite courtier an albino elephant, knowing that the courtier couldn’t give the elephant away and would be financially ruined by taking care of it
The Real McCoy makes for a fun reference guide but isn’t the detailed, trivia-packed gem I was hoping it would be. It’s more of a brief overview of idioms and a fun conversation piece than an in-depth language scholar’s work, but there’s nothing wrong with that. I found a few idioms I had never heard before and would like to try to incorporate when I can — “in a brown study,” “give someone the hairy eyeball,” “the ghost walks,” “on the horns of a dilemma,” “tell that to the marines,” “over-egg the pudding,” and “have many strings to your bow,” to name a few. If you’re looking for something simple and fun at parties, give it a chance!
Idioms (and figurative language in general) are integral to communication within the English language; they add color to our phrases, bring out our linguistic character, and even mark the evolution and preservation of our culture. Some idioms have been around for thousands of years and have survived multiple linguistic shifts, while others have only been around as long as radio, television, or rap music. Organized like a miniature cross between a dictionary and an encyclopedia, The Real McCoy delves into every possible aspect of idioms’ origins, including but not limited to history, grammar, etymology, linguistics, literature, science, politics, geography, religion, mythology, social customs, medicine, superstition, nautical terms, and the military. It’s amazing to me how many idioms originated from games and sports, the military, and mythology/religion. The Bible, the works of William Shakespeare, and Aesop’s fables are responsible for probably a quarter of the entire book’s contents, but Hole includes allusions to everything from Plato and the Salem Witch Trials to the Titanic and modern sitcoms.
Published by Oxford and punctuated with the cutest little cartoonish illustrations, The Real McCoy includes the origins of over 450 idioms, some of which are extremely ancient and others that have mutated in meaning over time. The book is arranged alphabetically with a brief definition and entry about the idiom’s place of origin, range of uses, and evolution over time, many in reference to famous uses in literature or political speeches. There are ten special sections interwoven with these entries, each with a list and evaluation of a specific category of popular idioms — animals, biblical expressions, colors, eating and drinking, foreign countries, legends and myths, nautical expressions, parts of the body, Shakespeare’s plays, and sports. The book closes with an thematic index grouping the idioms by subject or type. Since it was published in 2005, The Real McCoy of course contains dated references to the internet or contemporary technology (and modern celebrities like Michael Jackson, Halle Berry, and Bill Clinton), and in 2026, it lacks some idioms that are now in frequent use. Obviously, a few of the idioms are a bit rude, but Hole writes with humor and good taste for the most part.
The origins of some idioms are more obvious than others, and unfortunately Hole often has to merely speculate on the ones we don’t know much about. While some of the entries are clever or memorable, there were only a handful that made me sit up and take notice. I felt that Hole could have done more research or insight into some of the idioms’ origins, and I felt that it could have been much more inclusive; I thought of probably fifty additional phrases that were never included in this book (though I realize this is more of a handbook than a scholarly study). Many of the idioms included are of the more basic variety, the kind that anyone could figure out if they thought hard enough; even more disappointing, many of the entries Hole writes tell no origin at all but just describe the idiom’s usage. As an American, I was also surprised to see a lot of regional differences between the same idioms in American English versus UK English — “full of beans,” “give someone the bird,” “knock spots off,” and “go west” all have very different meanings across the pond. Still, The Real McCoy provides a good reminder that idioms do not materialize from thin air; they always have some sort of an origin, and they always reflect the character of their language’s speakers.
I kept a list of some of the more interesting idioms I came across, as well as their definitions and origins, so that I can add them to my ever-growing list of linguistic curiosities:
• Go ape — “become violently excited or angry” — originates from the 1933 movie King Kong, in which a giant ape unleashes his wrath on New York City
• Have someone over a barrel — “have someone at your mercy” — refers to the old practice of, after rescuing a person from drowning, laying them facedown over a barrel to let the water drain from their lungs, after which they would owe a debt to whoever saved them
• Make no bones about something — “have no hesitation in saying or doing something” — evokes the image of a person eating a bowl of soup that contains no bones and therefore being able to eat without restraint
• Close but no cigar — “almost but not quite successful” — refers to arm-wrestling tournaments in which the prize was often a cigar and the losers would be comforted with this phrase
• Go cold turkey — “abruptly and completely stop taking drugs” — draws on the idea that withdrawals usually result in chills and shivers, which cause goosebumps not unlike the flesh of a dead goose or turkey
• Show your true colors — “reveal your real character or intentions” — references the practice of enemy ships sailing under fake flags (or colors) to gain their enemies’ trust, only to reveal themselves as pirates or warlords afterward
• Lay something at someone’s door — “regard someone as responsible for something” — refers to an unmarried mother laying her baby on the father’s doorstep to publicly shame him into supporting their child
• Go Dutch — “agree to share the cost of a meal with someone” — comes from the old-time assumption by the English, who believed that their Dutch enemies were miserly
• Excuse my French — “an apology for the use of bad language” — hearkens back to the days in England when speaking French was no more acceptable than using profanity
• With flying colors — “with distinction” — borrows the idea of an army still flying its regimental colors or flags at the end of a battle to show that they had been victorious
• Wear your heart on your sleeve — “make your feelings apparent” — originates from the days of medieval jousting tournaments in which knights would wear a favor of their lady tied to their sleeves to show their affection and love
• Jump the shark — “(of a television series) reach a point when far-fetched events are included merely for the sake of novelty” — refers to an episode near the end of the 1970s sitcom Happy Days, in which the Fonz literally jumps over a shark while waterskiing
• In a nutshell — “in the fewest possible words” — references the ancient belief that there was once a copy of Homer’s lengthy Iliad that was small enough to fit inside a nutshell
• Cut someone to the quick — “upset someone very much” — refers to how painful it is to cut yourself down to the quick, which is the sensitive flesh under a fingernail or toenail
• Take a rain check — “refuse an offer, reserving the right to take it up at a later date” — comes from the old-fashioned term for tickets offered to spectators when an outdoor event was postponed by rain
• From scratch — “from the very beginning, without making use of any previous work” — refers to a practice in footracing in which some runners were given a short head start, while others had to start at a predetermined scratch (or mark) with no advantage
• By the seat of your pants — “by instinct rather than logic or knowledge” — originates from the military myth that experienced pilots could tell if their plane’s engine was going to stall simply by the vibrations they felt in the pilot seat
• Steal someone’s thunder — “win attention for yourself by pre-empting someone else’s attempt to impress” — hearkens back to English dramatist John Dennis, who invented a practical method for creating a thunder sound effect in the theater, then became enraged when he heard it used in a Shakespeare performance of Macbeth, which he said “stole his thunder”
• Turn the tables — “turn a position of disadvantage into one of advantage” — references the older practice of turning a chessboard around between games so that each player had to play from what their opponent’s position had previously been
• Upper crust — “the upper classes” — borrows the belief that medieval cooks would scrape the nicely browned crust off the top of freshly-baked bread for the lords and ladies of the house, leaving the hard, blackened lower crust for the servants
• A white elephant — “a useless or unwanted possession, especially one that’s expensive to maintain” — references a story about the king of Siam, who gave his least favorite courtier an albino elephant, knowing that the courtier couldn’t give the elephant away and would be financially ruined by taking care of it
The Real McCoy makes for a fun reference guide but isn’t the detailed, trivia-packed gem I was hoping it would be. It’s more of a brief overview of idioms and a fun conversation piece than an in-depth language scholar’s work, but there’s nothing wrong with that. I found a few idioms I had never heard before and would like to try to incorporate when I can — “in a brown study,” “give someone the hairy eyeball,” “the ghost walks,” “on the horns of a dilemma,” “tell that to the marines,” “over-egg the pudding,” and “have many strings to your bow,” to name a few. If you’re looking for something simple and fun at parties, give it a chance!
October 1, 2019
I may have enjoyed this book more if the reader had more conviction in their findings of phrase origins. Nearly everything was hedged with 'it's uncertain', 'it's thought...'. I felt like there was no reason to include a particular entry if there was no consensus on what the history was! Considering that this book was an attempt to illustrate the 'true stories', it seems like more could have been done to provide the true stories.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews