funny business

See synonyms for funny business on Thesaurus.com
nounInformal.
  1. improper or unethical conduct, as deception or trickery: He won't stand for any funny business here.

Origin of funny business

1
An Americanism dating back to 1880–85

Words Nearby funny business

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use funny business in a sentence

  • The “Juan/Angel” saga caps a long list of election funny business in Dade County.

    Trouble In Florida | A. L. Bardach | October 30, 2008 | THE DAILY BEAST
  • "No funny business," he challenged, but Sadau gestured the challenge aside.

    The Devil's Asteroid | Manly Wade Wellman
  • Were not looking for trouble, said he, but the man who tries any funny business with that dam will get hurt.

    The Boss of Wind River | David Goodger (goodger@python.org)
  • He had gone about his funny business with the air of a curate marrying his vicar to the object of his hopeless affections.

    The Mountebank | William J. Locke
  • This also had the additional advantage of preventing any funny business on the part of Judge Harrison.

    By Advice of Counsel | Arthur Train
  • I shall have to paint the whole building now, and it isn't very funny business.

    At the Little Brown House | Ruth Alberta Brown

Other Idioms and Phrases with funny business

funny business

Deceit, treachery, unethical conduct. For example, We suspect their outfit has been up to some funny business. [Colloquial; c. 1880]

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.