monkey (redirected from Old World monkey)

*funny as a barrel of monkeys

Cliché very funny. (*Also: as ~.) Ron was as funny as a barrel of monkeys. The entire evening was funny as a barrel of monkeys.

See also: barrel, funny

I'll be a monkey's uncle!

Fig. I am amazed! A: I just won $500,000 in the lottery! B: Well, I'll be a monkey's uncle!

make a fool (out) of someone and make a monkey (out) of someone

to make someone look foolish. John made a monkey out of himself while trying to make a fool out of Jim. John made a fool out of himself at the party. Are you trying to make a monkey out of me?

See also: fool, make

mess with someone or something and monkey with someone or something

to bother or interfere with someone or something. Come on, don't monkey with my new camera. Don't mess with me unless you want trouble.

See also: mess

monkey business and funny business

silliness; dishonest tricks. That's enough monkey business. Now, settle down. Stop the funny business. This is serious!

See also: business

Monkey see, monkey do.

Prov. Children imitate what they see other people doing. I don't let my children watch TV programs that show kids being disrespectful to their elders. I know what would happen if I did: monkey see, monkey do.

monkey suit

a tuxedo. (Jocular. Possibly in reference to the fancy suit worn by an organ-grinder's monkey.) Do I have to wear a monkey suit to dinner? All the men except me wore monkey suits at dinner on the cruise.

See also: suit

more fun than a barrel of monkeys and as much fun as a barrel of monkeys

Cliché a great deal of fun. (Compare this with as funny as a barrel of monkeys.) Roger always makes me laugh! He is as much fun as a barrel of monkeys. The circus was more fun than a barrel of monkeys.

See also: barrel, fun, more

throw a monkey wrench in the works

Fig. to cause problems for someone's plans. I don't want to throw a monkey wrench in the works, but have you checked your plans with a lawyer? When John suddenly refused to help us, he really threw a monkey wrench in the works.

See also: throw, work, wrench

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not give a monkey's  (British & Australian informal)

if you do not give a monkey's about something, you do not care about it at all She couldn't give a monkey's if everyone's talking about her. (often + question word) I don't give a monkey's how much he earns, I just don't like him.

See put a spanner in the works

See also: give

a monkey on somebody's back  (American & Australian)

a serious problem that will not go away The divorce proceedings are a monkey on her back.

See also: back

be more fun than a barrel of monkeys  (American) also be as funny as a barrel of monkeys (American)

to be very funny or enjoyable Their show was one of the funniest I've ever seen - more fun than a barrel of monkeys!

See also: barrel, fun, more

brass monkey weather  (British very informal)

extremely cold weather It's brass monkey weather today, isn't it! (British very informal!)

See also: brass, weather

I'll be a monkey's uncle!  (old-fashioned)

something that you say when you are very surprised Well, I'll be a monkey's uncle. I never thought Bill would remarry.

If you pay peanuts, you get monkeys.

something that you say which means that only stupid people will work for you if you do not pay very much 'This company is full of incompetents!' 'Well, if you pay peanuts, you get monkeys.'

See also: get, if, pay

make a fool of yourself

to do something which makes you seem stupid He's always getting drunk and making a fool of himself at parties.

See also: fool, make

make a monkey (out) of somebody   (old-fashioned)

to make someone seem stupid That's enough of your silly tricks. Nobody makes a monkey out of me!

See also: make

monkey business  (slightly informal)

silly behaviour or dishonest behaviour So what kind of monkey business have you kids been up to while I was out? The tax inspectors discovered that there had been some monkey business with the accounts.

See also: business

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a monkey on your back

a serious problem that you cannot forget When you know you have to do everything perfectly, it puts a giant monkey on your back.

Usage notes: also used in the form get the monkey off your back (to end a problem): By winning the championship, this team has finally got the monkey off its back.

Etymology: based on an earlier meaning of a monkey on your back (a habit of using an illegal drug)

See also: back

make a fool of yourself also make a fool of somebody

to do something which makes you appear ridiculous If you're afraid to make a fool of yourself, you will never be a successful performer. My former husband thought it was fun to make a fool of me.

Related vocabulary: make a spectacle of yourself

See also: fool, make

mess with somebody

to annoy, worry, or cause problems for someone I'm tired of people messing with me and not telling me the truth.

Usage notes: often used with not: You don't want to mess with this guy.

Related vocabulary: fool with somebody

See also: mess

mess with something

1. to become involved with something dangerous He admitted that he had messed with drugs as a teen. You wouldn't want to mess with a truckload of mail that might be contaminated.

2. to change something in a way that is likely to cause harm Crime really messes with the quality of life in a community. Don't mess with funding for education programs that have a direct impact on student learning.

3. to take apart or fix something complicated esp. in order to learn more about how it works I enjoy messing with computers the way some folks get pleasure from rebuilding old cars.

Related vocabulary: fiddle with something

See also: mess

monkey (around) with something

to adjust something It seems like any time they monkey with taxes, wealthy people benefit the most.

Usage notes: usually said about an effort to fix or improve something, especially an effort that does not succeed

throw a monkey wrench into something

to cause something to fail We keep trying to get together, but her crazy schedule keeps throwing a monkey wrench into our plans.

See also: throw, wrench