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monkey tricks

US monkey shines

pl n
  1. informal mischievous behaviour or acts, such as practical jokes
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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

Examples from the Web for monkey tricks

Historical Examples

  • I see there's an objection to Monkey-tricks for the Grand National.

    Punch, or the London Charivari Volume 107, August 25, 1894

    Various

  • Only a few of our men were killed or blinded by these monkey-tricks.

    Now It Can Be Told

    Philip Gibbs

  • He had only a cynical laugh for everything, even for the monkey-tricks performed by his mistress at the council of state.