Great Scott, Idioms with Names! Part 1

Mickey Mouse	jack-of-all-trades
Jekyll and Hyde	Murphy's Law
the real McCoy	John Hancock
Johnny-on-the-spot	the John
keep up with the Joneses	John Doe
every Tom, Dick, and Harry	peeping Tom
doubting Thomas	not know from Adam
Great Scott

Here we have definitions, explanations, and example sentences for fifteen common English idioms that use people's names. The names range from cartoon characters to characters in legends and the Bible. 

But we'll start with a cartoon character that is known and loved around the world: Mickey Mouse.

Mickey Mouse.

1. Mickey Mouse, adj., too easy, ineffective or unimportant.Walt Disney and  Ub Iwerks created the cartoon character Mickey Mouse in 1928. By 1931, this name was used figuratively, as it is here. Mickey Mouse is one of the world's best-known cartoon characters. In 1928 Disney and Iwerks also created Minnie Mouse, the female character. Examples:

→ Mickey Mouse classes

→ Mickey Mouse company

→ a Mickey Mouse amount of money

In the 1950s, Walt Disney Productions created a TV variety show for children called The Mickey Mouse Club. The show's theme song spelled out Mickey Mouse's name (M-I-C-K-E-Y …). The show was often repeated in the 1960s. Today most people who grew up at that time know how to spell the name Mickey Mouse and can remember the tune.

2. jack-of-all-trades, n., a person who can do many different things. This idiom goes back to the early 1600s. Sometimes spelled "Jack of all trades."

→ My manager is a jack-of-all-trades. She is good at management, accounting, sales—everything.

Also: "Jack of all trades and master of none." Unlike jack-of-all-trades, this sentence is not positive. It means the person can do many things but can't do them well.

Jekyll and Hyde poster from the 1880s.

3. Jekyll and Hyde, n., a person with an unstable personality, who changes quickly from good to bad. This idiom comes from the short novel The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, by Robert Louis Stevenson. Jekyll is a London doctor who makes a serum that, when he drinks some, turns him into an evil killer.

→ Our new manager turned out to be a real Jekyll and Hyde. He'd be great one minute and then yelling at people the next.

4. Murphy’s Law, n., A law meaning “If anything can go wrong, it will.” People often bring this up when making preparations. The “law” is from Edward A. Murphy, an American engineer, and uses “law” in the sense of a law of physics. Many humorous versions of Murphy’s Law have been made over the years.

→ I thought we were ready for our vacation, but of course, there was Murphy's Law. Our plane was late, our luggage got lost, and the hotel we booked was terrible.

5. the real McCoy, n. phr., the real thing, the true product. This idiom comes from an advertising line for whisky started in the 1850s by G. McKay and Co., a Scottish company: “A drappie (drop) of the real McKay.” (Drop here means "a small drink.")

→ Wow, what great sushi! This is very authentic. Yes, this is the real McCoy.

Signatures at the bottom of the Declaration of Independence. Notice which signature is the largest.

6. John Hancock, n., one's signature. In 1776, colonial American leaders signed the Declaration of Independence, declaring that the Unites States was independent from England. The signature of John Hancock is large and easy to read. At the time, some people feared that signing such a document could get them into trouble. Not Hancock. Not surprisingly, this is mainly a US idiom, not often used in British English.

→ Please give me your John Hancock here.

7. Johnny-on-the-spot, n. phr., (1) a person who is always ready to help or do something. This older idiom is still seen today. It's mainly a North American phrase. (2) a brand of portable toilet.

→ My father is always Johnny-on-the-spot when we need to fix things around the house.

Portable toilets, or porta potties.

Johnny-on-the-spot

The original meaning was someone who's always there when needed. “The john” is a slang term for “toilet.” A US company makes porta potties (portable toilets) with the brand name “Johnny on the Spot” (toilet that’s always available).

8. the John, n., an American English slang term for toilet. Informal. It's a term you might at least hear in movies or read in novels. It is one of many slang terms and idioms that people invented for "toilet."

→ I couldn't find the John. Even my friend John couldn't help me.

In the nineteenth century, it became very impolite to talk about things like bathrooms and toilets. People began to use euphemisms like little boys'/girls' room. Click here to learn about the many synonyms for toilet, including where they come from and which you should and shouldn't use. 

Click here to go to Great Scott! Idioms with Names! Part 2. 

Idioms with Names: Test Your Knowledge
Great Scott! Idioms with Names! Part 1
Great Scott! Idioms with Names! Part 2

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