monkey

[ muhng-kee ]

/ ˈmʌŋ ki /

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noun, plural mon·keys.

any mammal of the order Primates, including the guenons, macaques, langurs, and capuchins, but excluding humans, the anthropoid apes, and, usually, the tarsier and prosimians.Compare New World monkey, Old World monkey.

the fur of certain species of such long-haired animals.

a person likened to such an animal, as a mischievous, agile child or a mimic.

a dance, deriving from the twist, in which the partners move their hands as if climbing a pole and jerk their heads back and forth.

Slang. an addiction to narcotics.

any of various mechanical devices, as the ram of a pile driver.

Coal Mining. a small passageway or opening.

British Slang. the sum of 500 pounds.

Australian Informal. a sheep.

verb (used without object), mon·keyed, mon·key·ing.

Informal. to play or trifle idly; fool (often followed by around or with).

verb (used with object), mon·keyed, mon·key·ing.

to imitate; ape; mimic.

to mock.

Nearby words

monk, monk seal, monk's cloth, monk's pepper tree, monkery, monkey, monkey bars, monkey block, monkey bread, monkey bridge, monkey business

Idioms

a monkey on one's back, Slang.

an addiction to a drug or drugs; narcotic dependency.
an enduring and often vexing habit or urge.
a burdensome problem, situation, or responsibility; personal affliction or hindrance.

make a monkey out of, to cause to appear ridiculous; make a fool of.Also make a monkey of.

Origin of monkey

1520–30; apparently < Low German; compare Middle Low German Moneke (name of son of Martin the Ape in the story of Reynard), equivalent to mone- (akin to obsolete French monne she-ape, Spanish, Portuguese mono ape) + -ke diminutive suffix

Related forms

mon·key·ish, adjectivemon·key·ish·ly, adverbmon·key·ish·ness, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

British Dictionary definitions for monkey on one's back

monkey

/ (ˈmʌŋkɪ) /

noun

any of numerous long-tailed primates excluding the prosimians (lemurs, tarsiers, etc): comprise the families Cercopithecidae (Old World monkeys), Cebidae (New World monkeys), and Callithricidae (marmosets)See Old World monkey, New World monkey Related adjective: simian

any primate except man

a naughty or mischievous person, esp a child

the head of a pile-driver (monkey engine) or of some similar mechanical device

(modifier) nautical denoting a small light structure or piece of equipment contrived to suit an immediate purposea monkey foresail; a monkey bridge

US and Canadian slang an addict's dependence on a drug

slang a butt of derision; someone made to look a fool (esp in the phrase make a monkey of)

slang (esp in bookmaking) £500

US and Canadian slang $500

Australian slang, archaic a sheep

give a monkey's British slang to care about or regard as importantwho gives a monkey's what he thinks?

have a monkey on one's back slang

to be troubled by a persistent problem
US and Canadian to be addicted to a drug

verb

(intr; usually foll by around, with, etc) to meddle, fool, or tinker

(tr) rare to imitate; ape

Word Origin for monkey

C16: perhaps from Low German; compare Middle Low German Moneke name of the ape's son in the tale of Reynard the Fox

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Idioms and Phrases with monkey on one's back (1 of 2)

monkey on one's back

Drug addiction, as in He'd had a monkey on his back for at least two years. [Slang; first half of 1900s]

A vexing problem or burden, as in This project has proved to be a monkey on my back—there seems to be no end to it. Both usages allude to being unable to shake off the animal from one's back.

Idioms and Phrases with monkey on one's back (2 of 2)

monkey

In addition to the idioms beginning with monkey

monkey business
monkey on one's back

also see:

fool (monkey) around
make a fool (monkey) of
more fun than a barrel of monkeys
throw a monkey wrench

monkey

noun, plural mon·keys.

verb (used without object), mon·keyed, mon·key·ing.

verb (used with object), mon·keyed, mon·key·ing.

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Nearby words

Idioms

Origin of monkey

Related forms

British Dictionary definitions for monkey on one's back

monkey

noun

verb

Word Origin for monkey

Idioms and Phrases with monkey on one's back (1 of 2)

monkey on one's back

Idioms and Phrases with monkey on one's back (2 of 2)

monkey