monkey (redirected from don't give a monkey's)

be cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey (British, very informal!)

brass monkey weather - extremely cold weather. We were in Moscow, and it was cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey.

See also: ball, brass, cold, enough, freeze

be more fun than a barrel of monkeys (American, 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!

See also: brass, weather

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. I don't give a monkey's how much he earns, I just don't like him. (often + question word)

See also: give

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.

See also: I'll, uncle

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: pay

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

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

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

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

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

See also: back

put/throw a spanner in the works (British & Australian, American)

to do something that prevents a plan or activity from succeeding. We were hoping to get the project started in June but the funding was withdrawn so that rather threw a spanner in the works. The sudden withdrawal of the guest speaker really threw a monkey wrench in the works.

See also: throw, work

---

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

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