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monkey's fist

American  
Or monkey fist

noun

  1. a ball-like knot used as an ornament or as a throwing weight at the end of a line.

Etymology

Origin of monkey's fist

First recorded in 1925–30; so called from fancied resemblance

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

"Some people think it is a monkey's fist," says Eben.

From Time Magazine Archive

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

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