- Including all the flaws, imperfections, faults, or unattractive features, without attempting to hide or ignore the negative aspects.
- Showing or accepting the complete picture, both good and bad.
Explanation
Origin
- Famously attributed to Oliver Cromwell, Lord Protector of England in the 17th century.
- According to tradition, when commissioning a portrait from artist Sir Peter Lely, Cromwell insisted on being painted realistically, including his facial imperfections. He supposedly said, Mr Lely, I desire you would use all your skill to paint my picture truly like me, and not flatter me at all; but remark all these roughnesses, pimples, warts, and everything as you see me, otherwise I will never pay a farthing for it.
- Whether historically exact or not, the story established the phrase's meaning of complete, unvarnished honesty about flaws.
Synonyms & Related Expressions
Alternatives
Slang/Informal:
- Keeping it 100 / Keeping it real
- No filter
- The whole shebang (implies including everything, including flaws)
- The nitty-gritty (focuses on the harsh realities)
- Laying it all out / Putting it all out there
Milder/Formal:
- Including imperfections / flaws
- Presenting a complete picture
- Without idealization
- An honest portrayal
- In its entirety
Situational Appropriateness
- Informal to formal, depending on context. Can be used in literary criticism, biographical discussion, personal relationships, etc.
- Conveys a sense of thoroughness and honesty.
Misunderstanding Warnings
- The literal image of warts might be slightly off-putting or confusing if the listener doesn't immediately grasp the metaphorical meaning of 'flaws' or 'imperfections'.
Examples
- A good biography should present its subject warts and all.
- If you truly love someone, you accept them warts and all.
- The documentary offered a warts-and-all look at the challenges of starting a business.
Dialogue
Fatima: I really appreciated how that film didn't romanticize the main character's life. It showed his struggles and mistakes too.
David: Exactly. It presented him warts and all, which made him feel much more real.
Fatima: Totally agree.
Social Media Examples
- Post: Sharing my journey of learning guitar, warts and all! Including the terrible chords and missed notes. 😉 #music #learning #keepingitreal
- Review: This memoir is brutally honest. The author really lays out their life, warts and all. Respect. #books #memoir #honesty
Response Patterns
- That's the only way to be truly honest.
- Yeah, nobody's perfect.
- It's important to see the whole picture.
- That takes courage/acceptance.
- Good for them/you. (Acknowledging the honesty/acceptance)
Common Follow-up Questions/Actions
After hearing warts and all:
- Acknowledge the realism: That sounds like a very honest portrayal/approach.
- Discuss the specific 'warts' (if appropriate and not insensitive): What kind of challenges/flaws did it show?
- Reflect on the value of acceptance: It's hard to do that sometimes.
Conversation Starter
- No. Describes an approach to representation or acceptance.
Intonation
- Often said with a tone of acceptance, realism, or frankness.
- Usually even stress on warts and all. WARTS and ALL.
Generation Differences
- Widely understood, perhaps slightly more common in written or more formal spoken contexts, or among older generations, but still very recognizable.
Regional Variations
- Used across all major English-speaking regions.