phrase
informal A thing that is absolutely genuine or authentic.
- ‘you've never been in love before, so how can you be sure this is the real thing?’
- ‘Would you feel as comfortable wearing a counterfeit expensive watch as the real thing?’
- ‘The fact is that he has never seen the real thing, and does his best to produce a substantial dish.’
- ‘You can sample the real thing in any bar as joints are hung above the counter waiting to be sliced up into tapas.’
- ‘We opted for the real thing and settled down for an evening of sea shanties and claustrophobia.’
- ‘Having written a soundtrack for films that have never been made, it only made sense for him to take a crack at the real thing.’