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monkeyshine

[muhng-kee-shahyn]
noun
  1. Usually monkeyshines. a frivolous or mischievous prank; monkey business.
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Origin of monkeyshine

1820–30; monkey + shine1 (in the sense of ‘a foolish prank’)
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words

antic, caper, lark, trick

Examples from the Web for monkeyshines

Historical Examples

  • Run, then; an' if Job abuses you, just let me know it, an' I'll keep him from cuttin' up any monkeyshines.

    Toby Tyler

    James Otis

  • His achievements had won for him a certain respect even from the officers whom he amused with his 49 monkeyshines.