THE REAL MCCOY Definition & Meaning

the real McCoy

The best of its kind, the real thing: “That homemade pizza was the real McCoy.” The source of this expression is the story of a famous prizefighter named McCoy. He had so many imitators that no one was sure which was the real one.

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Idioms and Phrases

Also, the McCoy . The genuine thing, as in That painting's not a reproduction—it's the real McCoy . This idiom has a disputed origin, but the most likely source is its use to distinguish welterweight champion “Kid McCoy,” the name used by Norman Selby (1873-1940), from other boxers using his name to capitalize on his popularity. [c. 1900]

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

But if it can’t become more than a crasser, paler imitation of the real McCoy, The Orville is heading toward a short, fast death — especially since it’ll have to deal with the direct competition of an actual Star Trek show on the air soon, when Star Trek: Discovery airs.

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“We’re selling the real McCoy — the originals,” Arlan Ettinger, Guernsey’s president, said of the sheet music.

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But here is the real McCoy, the tastes and values of the general public valorized.

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“It is fact that they located two weapons that look just like the real McCoy,” the sheriff said.

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Comic Felix Dexter appeared in shows including The Real McCoy, The Fast Show and Absolutely Fabulous Stars including Simon Pegg and Matt Lucas have expressed their sorrow at the death of comic and actor Felix Dexter, who died on Friday of cancer.

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

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the real McCoy

Idioms and Phrases

Example Sentences