full monty

English

Etymology

Unknown. First appeared in print in 1980s, but probably existed before that. The most common theory for its origin is that a purchase (especially that of a full three-piece suit) from Montague Maurice Burton (1885–1952), founder of Burton Menswear, was known as a "full Monty". According to the OED, this etymology is "perhaps the most plausible". The nudity definition comes via the movie The Full Monty, in which it is used as a euphemism for removing all one's clothes when stripping.

Noun

full monty (countable and uncountable, plural full monties)

(UK, colloquial, countable) Everything; the whole package.
Synonyms: see Thesaurus:everything

I thought he was only going to buy the basic kit, but he bought the full monty.
(UK, colloquial, countable) A full breakfast.
- 1999, Dick Hedges, The Laura Landing: A Book of the Turkana Trilogy:
  A 'Full Monty' breakfast the following morning helped Harry recover his high spirits.
- 2014 August 1, R. Wayne Willis, Hope's Daughters: A Helping a Day of Wisdom and Hope, Wipf and Stock Publishers, →ISBN, page 103:
  One of us, it became clear as we strolled the aisles of the grocery, believed that every day should begin with a “full monty” breakfast—sausage, eggs, gravy and biscuits.
- 2014 November 6, Karly Kirkpatrick, New Blood: (Book 2 of the Bloody Little Secrets Series): A Bloody Little Secrets Novel, Karly Kirkpatrick:
  Good thing she'd had some blood back at the flat before we'd come down to the local pub for breakfast. I was worried she was going to eat Alex before the full monties arrived.
(UK, colloquial) Nudity.
- 2002, Gene Amole, The Last Chapter: Gene Amole on Dying, Big Earth Publishing, →ISBN, page 153:
  It is just as well the letter was tightly sealed, because there were photographs in it showing me and others in Full Monty. That is to say we were all buck naked.

Usage notes

Usually with the.

Adjective

full monty (not comparable)

(UK, colloquial) Nude.
- 2008, George McClendon, Heaven's Call to Earthy Spirituality, Dog Ear Publishing, →ISBN, page 63:
  Becoming male strippers and appearing full monty provides the connection.
- 2009, Sandra Hill, Viking Heat, Penguin, →ISBN:
  Her breasts were always a surprise to men the first time she went full monty. Because she was so tall and slim and athletic, they probably expected pancakes.
- 2012, Eric Jerome Dickey, An Accidental Affair, Penguin, →ISBN:
  “And she went full monty on film and everything has gone pear shaped for her.”

References

Michael Quinion (2004), “Full monty”, in Ballyhoo, Buckaroo, and Spuds: Ingenious Tales of Words and Their Origins, Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Books in association with Penguin Books, →ISBN.