warts and all
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Related to warts and all: Oliver Cromwell
warts and all
Including any imperfections or flaws. If you're going to marry him, then you better love him, warts and all.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
warts and all
Cliché even with the flaws. It's a great performance—warts and all. Yes, we admire each other very much, warts and all.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
warts and all
Including all blemishes, faults, and shortcomings, as in Rather unwisely, they decided to buy the house, warts and all. This expression supposedly alludes to Oliver Cromwell's instruction to portrait painter Sir Peter Lely to "remark all these roughnesses, pimples, warts, and everything as you see me, otherwise I will never pay a farthing for it." [First half of 1600s]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
warts and all
COMMON If you describe or accept someone or something warts and all, you describe or accept them as they really are, including all their faults. After all these years, I know Paul very well and I love him, warts and all. Couldn't you go ahead anyway and write the unauthorized biography, warts and all? Note: You can use warts-and-all before a noun. This is very much a warts-and-all biography. Note: The 17th century English leader Oliver Cromwell is said to have told an artist who was painting his portrait that he did not wish to be flattered: `Remark all these roughnesses, pimples, warts, and everything as you see me, otherwise I will never pay a farthing for it.'
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012
warts and all
including features or qualities that are not appealing or attractive. informalThis expression is said to stem from a request made by Oliver Cromwell to the portrait painter Peter Lely : ‘Remark all these roughnesses, pimples, warts, and everything as you see me’.
1998 Times We painted Fayed, warts and all; Fleet Street denounces us for not painting just the warts.
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
ˌwarts and ˈall
(informal) including all the faults as well as the good points: She still loves him, warts and all.The story is that Oliver Cromwell asked the painter Sir Peter Lely to paint him exactly as he appeared, including all his bad features such as his warts (= a small hard lump that grows on the skin).Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
warts and all
Slang All defects and imperfections notwithstanding: They love each other, warts and all.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
warts and all
With all one’s faults, blemishes, and shortcomings. This term allegedly comes from instructions Oliver Cromwell (1599–1658) gave to Sir Peter Lely when commissioning him to paint his portrait: “But remark all these roughnesses, pimples, warts, and everything as you see me, otherwise I will never pay a farthing for it.” It is still current.
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer Copyright © 2013 by Christine Ammer
warts and all
Without sparing any literal or figurative blemishes. The phrase is attributed to England's Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell, who ordered Sir John Lely, the artist painting his portrait, not to flatter him, but to paint him with any and all physical imperfections . . . “‘warts and all.” As many people over the years credited Cromwell with the phrase, there is no definite proof that he did indeed use it. Still, if he didn't, he should have.
Endangered Phrases by Steven D. Price Copyright © 2011 by Steven D. Price