monkeyshine

[muhng-kee-shahyn]

noun

1. Usually monkeyshines a frivolous or mischievous prank; monkey business.

Word History and Origins

Origin of monkeyshine¹

First recorded in 1820–30; monkey + shine ¹ (in the sense of “a foolish prank”)

Example Sentences

“What kind of monkeyshine is this?” he growled.

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“Are you tired of being led astray? Run amok? Highjinks? Monkeyshine? Hornswaggle? Skullduggery?”

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But as a popular-entertainment monkeyshine on the making of musicals, and as the decidedly unspiritual autobiography of a fledgling librettist, the show bumps and bounces along cheerfully enough.

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"I did cut a monkeyshine or two," admitted the young man.

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Always up to some monkeyshine.

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