(to) “Have The Makings Of…” (something)

he common phrase (to) “Have The Makings Of…” (something) is an Adjectival Verb-Phrase which is Metaphorical in nature.  Despite what other blog-posts, videos, or teachers may tell you, It is not Idiomatic, and is is DEFINITELY not something called “an Idiom”…  (there is no such thing as that which is mistakenly referred to simply as “an idiom”!)

he Metaphor could be from any number of “things” which require other ingredients to “Make” the final “thing”.  The origin of the phrase is probably impossible to know, and is quite irrelevant.  What is important is knowing and comprehending the Metaphor.  😉

he easiest way to think of this phrase is with the Metaphor of “Baking A Cake”.  If you were to bake a cake “from scratch” (meaning:  not from a pre-mixed box of ingredients, but the “old fashioned” way) — then you would have to make it with many different ingredients.  Those ingredients are the “Makings” in the phrase.  The ingredients are that which one makes the final product with.

his phrase is used to describe a person who has the proper “qualities”, “characteristic”, and/or “skills” (the “Makings”) necessary to become “something”, or to fulfill the duties of some “position”.

his phrase can also be used in the same way to talk about things as well — but it is not as common.  For example, you could say:  “This deal has the makings of being very profitable.”  Or…  “This has the makings of being a beautiful relationship.”