Word: mickey Part of Speech: noun Etymology: Alternative letter-case form of Mickey (noun), from Mickey (“diminutive of the male given name Michael”, proper noun), from Mick (“diminutive of the male given name Michael”) + -ey (a variant of -y (diminutive suffix)). Noun sense 1 (“smallest distance that a computer mouse can move a cursor”) refers to the cartoon character Mickey Mouse. Noun sense 5 (“penis”), noun sense 7.1 (“Irishman”), and noun sense 7.2 (“potato; sweet potato”) refer to the fact that since the 17th century Michael and its diminutives Mick, Mickey, and Mike have been one of the most common names in Ireland, and to the prevalence of potatoes in the Irish diet; compare murphy (“potato”). Noun sense 6.2 (“in take the mickey: (false) pride”) possibly refers to the use of Mickey Bliss as rhyming slang for piss (“act of urinating”); compare take the piss and noun sense 6.1. The adjective is short for Mickey Mouse, which is rhyming slang for grouse (“(Australia, New Zealand, slang) excellent”). The verb is short for mickey-finn, from Mickey Finn; compare noun sense 7.3. Pronunciation: /ˈmɪki/ 1. The smallest distance that a computer mouse can move a cursor on a screen, which is used to measure the device's resolution or sensitivity. Example: The Mmove_ratio method controls the ratio of physical mouse movement to screen cursor movement with the x- and y-axis arguments (xsize and ysize) expressed as the number of mickeys (units of mouse motion) required to cover eight pixels on the screen. […] [T]he appropriate values are dependent on the number of mickeys per inch reported by the physical mouse; values which may be 100, 200, or 320 mickeys per inch depending on the mouse hardware. Default values are 8 mickeys/8 pixels horizontal and 16 mickeys/8 pixels vertical. 2. The noisy miner (Manorina melanocephala), a honeyeater endemic to eastern and southeastern Australia. Labels: Australia, informal 3. A young bull, especially one which is unbranded and running wild; a bullock. Labels: Australia, slang Example: The cattle slayers had gone their way, with their smoking rifles and the mob of "mickies" they intended, somewhere in the fastnesses of the ranges, to brand and make legally, as far as the letter of the law went, their own. Example: Bronco horse pulling a ‘micky’ (young bull) up for branding. 4. The vulva. Labels: Australia, Ireland, New-Zealand, rare, slang Example: Can't blame her for it, 'cause her mickey was probably throbbin' for it. 5. A small bottle of liquor, such as whiskey, usually holding 375 millilitres (13.2 imperial fluid ounces; 12.7 U.S. fluid ounces), typically shaped to fit in one's pocket. Labels: Canada, informal Example: While you’re at the liquor store, get a mickey of rye. Example: "But," said the cook, "if we was in the city I'd take fifty cents of it purty, pronto and get myself a four-bit micky." / "A what?" I asked, mystified. / "A four-bit micky, a fifty-cent bottle of alcohol—Dr. Hall, white line," he translated in disgust. "If you're goin' west you better learn to talk west." 6. The penis. Labels: Ireland, slang Example: He fell off the bike and injured his mickey. Example: Ill put on my best shift and drawers let him have a good eyeful out of that to make his micky stand for him […] 7. Short for Mickey Bliss (“an act of urinating; a piss”). Labels: Cockney, UK, abbreviation, alt-of, slang 8. In take the mickey: a person's (false) pride, which is criticized through disparagement or ridicule; piss. Labels: UK, informal Example: 'Higgsy,' said the sergeant, 'they think I'm taking the mickey. Tell 'em.' 9. Alternative letter-case form of Mickey (“an Irishman”). Labels: US, alt-of, derogatory, offensive, slang Example: There was an old micky named Cassidy / who was famed for impromptu mendacity. / When asked did he lie / he replied: to reply / would be to impugn his veracity. 10. A potato or sweet potato; specifically, one roasted over a fire outdoors. Labels: New-York-City, US, dated, slang Example: We roasted mickeys over a fire with two-foot sticks. Example: dippy runs down the street waving two potatoes. / dippy: Hey, guys, I swiped two maw [more] mickeys. Look! 11. Alternative letter-case form of Mickey (“a Mickey Finn: an alcoholic drink deliberately doctored with a drug intended to quickly render the drinker unconscious”). Labels: US, alt-of, slang Example: He was slipped a mickey.