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Take the piss

verb

Definitions

Verb
  1. 1
    To tease, ridicule or mock (someone) (with out of).

    "You know, cos he was like taking the piss out of them and they took the piss out of him."

  2. 2
    To subject those present to teasing, ridicule or mockery, or to show contempt.

    "He's either taking it easy or taking the piss by arriving at the eleventh hour."

  3. 3
    To be outrageously unreasonable.

    "I've got three exams on the same day! That's taking the piss!"

Etymology

Possibly from piss-proud (“falsely presenting as successful”). In which case taking the piss out of would mean deflating their false pride, usually through disparagement or mockery. As the piss-proud metaphor became dated, taking the piss out of someone came to refer to disparagement or mockery itself, regardless of the pride of the subject. Eventually the shortened, intransitive form taking the piss became common.

See also for "take the piss"

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