monkey

mon·key

 (mŭng′kē)

n. pl. mon·keys

1.

a. Any of various tailed primates of the suborder Anthropoidea, including the macaques, baboons, capuchins, and marmosets, and excluding the apes.

b. A nonhuman ape. Not in scientific use.

2. One who behaves in a way suggestive of a monkey, as a mischievous child or a mimic.

3. The iron block of a pile driver.

4. Slang A person who is mocked, duped, or made to appear a fool: They made a monkey out of him.

5. Offensive Slang Used as a disparaging term for a person with dark skin.

v. mon·keyed, mon·key·ing, mon·keys

v.intr. Informal

1. To play, fiddle, trifle, or tamper with something: Who was monkeying with my cell phone?

2. To behave in a mischievous or apish manner: Stop monkeying around!

v.tr.

To imitate or mimic; ape.

Idiom:

monkey on one's back

1. An addiction to a drug.

2. An object of persistent worry or obsession.

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[Perhaps ultimately from Middle Low German Moneke, name of a young ape in the beast epic Reynke de Vos ("Reynard the Fox"), shortening of Simoneke, diminutive (used in punning reference to Latin sīmia, ape, monkey; see simian) of the Middle High German name Simon (equivalent to English Simeon Simon).]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

monkey

(ˈmʌŋkɪ)

n

1. (Animals) any of numerous long-tailed primates excluding the prosimians (lemurs, tarsiers, etc): comprise the families Cercopithecidae (Old World monkeys), Cebidae (New World monkeys), and Callithricidae (marmosets). See Old World monkey, New World monkey

2. (Animals) any primate except man

3. a naughty or mischievous person, esp a child

4. (Mechanical Engineering) the head of a pile-driver (monkey engine) or of some similar mechanical device

5. (Nautical Terms) (modifier) nautical denoting a small light structure or piece of equipment contrived to suit an immediate purpose: a monkey foresail; a monkey bridge.

6. (Recreational Drugs) slang US and Canadian an addict's dependence on a drug

7. slang a butt of derision; someone made to look a fool (esp in the phrase make a monkey of)

8. (Gambling, except Cards) slang (esp in bookmaking) £500

9. (Currencies) slang US and Canadian $500

10. (Animals) slang archaic Austral a sheep

11. give a monkey's slang Brit to care about or regard as important: who gives a monkey's what he thinks?.

12. have a monkey on one's back slang

a. to be troubled by a persistent problem

b. US and Canadian to be addicted to a drug

vb

13. (intr; usually foll by around, with, etc) to meddle, fool, or tinker

14. (tr) rare to imitate; ape

[C16: perhaps from Low German; compare Middle Low German Moneke name of the ape's son in the tale of Reynard the Fox]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

mon•key

(ˈmʌŋ ki)

n., pl. –keys, v.

1. any mammal of two major groupings of Primates, the Old World monkeys or catarrhines, and the New World monkeys or platyrrhines, both characterized by flattened faces, binocular vision, and usu. long tails.

2. the fur of certain long-haired monkeys.

3.

a. a mischievous, agile child.

b. fool; dupe.

v.i.

4. Informal. to trifle idly; fool (often fol. by around or with).

v.t.

5. to imitate; mimic.

Idioms:

1. make a monkey (out) of, to cause to appear ridiculous; make a fool of.

2. monkey on one's back, Slang.

a. an addiction to a drug.

b. a burdensome problem, situation, or responsibility.

[1520–30; appar. < Low German; compare Middle Low German Moneke (name of son of Martin the Ape in the story of Reynard) =mone- (akin to Sp, Portuguese mono ape) + -ke diminutive suffix]

mon′key•ish, adj.

mon′key•ish•ly, adv.

mon′key•ish•ness, n.

Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.

mon·key

(mŭng′kē)

Any of various primates of medium size that have long tails. Most monkeys live in trees in tropical or subtropical regions. Baboons, macaques, mandrills, and marmosets are monkeys. Compare ape.

The American Heritage® Student Science Dictionary, Second Edition. Copyright © 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

monkey

Past participle: monkeyed
Gerund: monkeying

Imperative

monkey

monkey

Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011

Monkey

A colloquial expression for a one-horse plowlike implement used to hook and pull up cane stalks by their roots. Also see Water monkey.

1001 Words and Phrases You Never Knew You Didn’t Know by W.R. Runyan Copyright © 2011 by W.R. Runyan

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	monkey - any of various long-tailed primates (excluding the prosimians) primate - any placental mammal of the order Primates; has good eyesight and flexible hands and feet catarrhine, Old World monkey - of Africa or Arabia or Asia; having nonprehensile tails and nostrils close together New World monkey, platyrrhine, platyrrhinian - hairy-faced arboreal monkeys having widely separated nostrils and long usually prehensile tails
	2.	monkey - one who is playfully mischievous   scamp, imp, rapscallion, rascal, scalawag, scallywag child, kid, minor, nipper, tiddler, youngster, tike, shaver, small fry, nestling, fry, tyke - a young person of either sex; "she writes books for children"; "they're just kids"; "`tiddler' is a British term for youngster" brat, holy terror, little terror, terror - a very troublesome child
Verb	1.	monkey - play around with or alter or falsify, usually secretively or dishonestly; "Someone tampered with the documents on my desk"; "The reporter fiddle with the facts" tamper, fiddle manipulate - hold something in one's hands and move it
	2.	monkey - do random, unplanned work or activities or spend time idly; "The old lady is usually mucking about in her little house" mess around, monkey around, muck about, muck around, potter, tinker, putter puddle - mess around, as in a liquid or paste; "The children are having fun puddling in paint" work - exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity; "I will work hard to improve my grades"; "she worked hard for better living conditions for the poor"

Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

monkey

noun

1. simian, ape, primate, jackanapes (archaic) He walked on all fours like a monkey.

2. rascal, horror, devil, rogue, imp, tyke, scallywag, mischief maker, scamp She's such a little monkey.

Related words
adjective simian
collective noun troop

Quotations
"monkey: an arboreal animal which makes itself at home in genealogical trees" [Ambrose Bierce The Devil's Dictionary]

Monkeys, apes and other primates

aye-aye, baboon, Barbary ape, bonnet monkey, bushbaby or galago, capuchin, chacma, chimpanzee or chimp, colobus, douc, douroucouli, drill, flying lemur or colugo, gelada, gibbon, gorilla, green monkey, grivet, guenon, guereza, howler monkey, indris or indri, langur, lemur, loris, macaco, macaque, mandrill, mangabey, marmoset, mona, monkey or (archaic) jackanapes, orang-outang, orang-utan, or orang, proboscis monkey, rhesus monkey, saki, siamang, sifaka, spider monkey, squirrel monkey, talapoin, tamarin, tana, tarsier, titi, vervet, wanderoo

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

monkey

noun

Slang. A person who is easily deceived or victimized:

butt, dupe, fool, gull, lamb, pushover, victim.

Informal: sucker.

Slang: fall guy, gudgeon, mark, patsy, pigeon, sap.

Chiefly British: mug.

verb

1. Informal. To handle something idly, ignorantly, or destructively:

fiddle, fool, meddle, mess, tamper, tinker.

2. To move one's fingers or hands in a nervous or aimless fashion:

fiddle, fidget, fool, play, putter, tinker, toy, trifle, twiddle.

The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Translations

قِرْدٌقِرْد، سَعْدانوَلَد مُؤْذٍيَعْبَث، يَتَدَخَّل

маймунмаймуна

mico

opicedarebahrabat se-nice

abespilopmager

Affeherumspielen

μαϊμούπίθηκος

simio

monopillochangodiablillojuguetear

بوزینه

apina

singetripoterguenon

majmun

majomrosszcsontbabrál vmivel

keramonyet

apiapi; smáapi; apakötturfíflast meî, fikta viîprakkari

scimmia500 sterlinearmeggiaremonellaccio

サル

원숭이

simia

beždžionėišdykėlislįstinagus kištinerimtas reikalas

nerātnisniekotiespērtiķis

aapapin

apeapekatttøysekopp

małpa

macaco

maimuţă

обезьяна

opica

opicaafna

apa

tumbili

ลิง

maymunyaramaz çocukkurcalamak

con khỉ

猴子瞎弄淘气的小孩

monkey

[ˈmʌŋkɪ]

A. N (Zool) → mono m (fig) (= child) → diablillo m
I don't give a monkey's → me importa un rábano
to make a monkey out of sb → poner a algn en ridículo

B. CPD monkey business N (dishonest) → trapisondas fpl, tejemanejes mpl; (mischievous) → travesuras fpl, diabluras fpl
monkey nut N (Brit) → cacahuete m, maní m (LAm), cacahuate m (Mex)
monkey puzzle N (Bot) → araucaria f
monkey shines NPL (US) = monkey tricks monkey suit N → traje m de etiqueta, esmoquin m
monkey tricks NPL → travesuras fpl
monkey wrench N → llave f inglesa

monkey about monkey around VI + ADV → hacer tonterías
to monkey about or monkey around with sth → juguetear con algo

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

monkey

[ˈmʌŋki] n

(= animal) → singe m

(= naughty child) → polisson(e) m/fmonkey bars npl → cage f à poulesmonkey business n

(dishonest) → affaire f louche

(mischievous) → singeries fplmonkey nut n (British) → cacahuète fmonkey wrench n → clé f à molette

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

monkey

n → Affe m; (fig: = child) → Strolch m, → Schlingel m; to make a monkey out of somebody (inf) → jdn verhohnepipeln (inf); well, I’ll be a monkey’s uncle (inf) → (ich glaub,) mich laust der Affe (inf); to have a monkey on one’s back (US inf) → an der Nadel hängen (inf); I don’t give a monkey’s (about it) (Brit inf) → das ist mir scheißegal (inf) → or schnurzpiepe (hum inf); as clever as a cartload or barrel (load) of monkeys (Brit inf) → ganz schön clever (inf)

vi to monkey around (inf) → herumalbern; to monkey around with something → an etw (dat) → herumspielen or -fummeln (inf)

---

monkey

:

monkey bars

pl → Klettergerüst nt

monkey business

n (inf) no monkey! → mach(t) mir keine Sachen! (inf); there’s too much monkey → da ist zu viel faul (inf); what monkey have you been getting up to? → was hast du jetzt schon wieder angestellt?

monkey engine

n (Tech: = pile-driver) → Pfahlramme f

monkey jacket

n → Affenjäckchen nt (inf)

monkey nut

n → Erdnuss f

monkey puzzle (tree)

n → Andentanne f, → Araukarie f (spec)

monkeyshines

pl (US inf) → Streiche pl

monkey suit

n (inf: = tails) → Frack m; he was all done up in his monkey → er hatte sich in volle Montur or in Schale geworfen (inf)

monkey tricks

pl → Unfug m, → dumme Streiche pl; no monkey! → mach(t) mir keinen Unfug!; I bet he’s been getting up to some monkey again! → der hat doch sicher wieder irgendwas ausgeheckt (inf)

monkey wrench

n → verstellbarer Schraubenschlüssel, Engländer m; to throw a monkey into the works (US inf) → jdm einen Knüppel zwischen die Beine werfen (inf)

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

monkey

[ˈmʌŋkɪ] n → scimmia (fig) (child) → birbante m

monkey about monkey around vi + adv (fam) → far lo/la scemo/a
to monkey about with sth → armeggiare con qc

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

monkey

(ˈmaŋki) noun

1. an animal of the type most like man, especially those which are small and have long tails (ie not the apes). aap قِرْد، سَعْدان маймуна macaco opice der Affe abe μαϊμούmono ahv میمون apina singeקוף बंदर majmun majom monyet api; smáapi; apaköttur scimmia 猿 원숭이 beždžionė pērtiķis monyet aapapemałpa بيزو macaco maimuţă обезьяна opica opica majmun apa ลิง maymun 猴子 мавпа بندر con khỉ 猴子

2. a mischievous child. Their son is a little monkey. apie وَلَد مُؤْذٍ непослушно дете diabrete dareba, -nice der Affe spilopmager κατεργάρης, διαβολάκι diablillo, pillo pärdik بچه شیطون vintiö polisson/-onne שובב शरारती लड़का poput majmuna rosszcsont anak nakal prakkari birbante いたずらっ子 바보, 장난꾸러기 išdykėlis nerātnis; palaidnis si nakal aaptøysekopp, skøyer psotnik د شيطان بچى diabrete copil neastâmpărat шалун, проказник nezbedník nagajivec majmun rackarunge เด็กซุกซน yaramaz çocuk 淘氣的小孩 пустун, шибеник چنچل بچہ thằng nhãi ranh 淘气的小孩

verb

(especially with with) to meddle or interfere. Who's been monkeying (about) with the television set? inmeng يَعْبَث، يَتَدَخَّل барникам mexer hrabat se (v) herumspielen rode med πειράζω, ανακατεύωjuguetear käperdama دستکاری کردن sormeilla tripoter לְשָׂחֵק praviti psine babrál vmivel mengganggu fíflast með, fikta við armeggiare, trafficare いたずらする 장난치다 nagus kišti, lįsti palaidņoties; niekoties mengusik donderjagen klusse/fikle med majstrować لاس وهنه كول mexer a se juca соваться; копаться babrať sa (s) igračkati se petljati mixtra (greja) med ทำให้ยุ่ง kurcalamak 干涉 втручатися دست اندازي کرنا làm trò khỉ 瞎弄

monkey business

mishievous or illegal happenings etc. oneerlike sake أحْداث مُؤسِفَه أو غَيْر قانونِيَّه пакости procedimento condenável lumpárna, švindl krumme Tour snyderi σκανταλιά, βρομοδουλειά travesuras, trampas sulitembud کار غیر قانونی vilunki singeries, combines עֶסֶק מְפוּקפַּק आमान्य, गैरकानूनी या बेईमानी का व्यवहार majmunska posla gyanús ügy urusan ilegal, permainan curang prakkarastrik; klækir tiro mancino, birbonata いんちき 사기, 부정행위 nerimtas/nešvarus reikalas ākstīšanās; muļķošanās urusan tidak sah kattekwaad, zwendelbløff, lureriszachrajstwo, kombinowanie غير قانونى كار كول diabrura pungăşie, escrocherie шалости, проделки čertovina; podfuk spletkarjenje majmunska posla ofog, fuffens สิ่งไม่ชอบมาพากล düzenbazlık, dolandırıcılık 胡鬧，不法情事 пустощі, дурощі فتنہ انگیزی trò hề 胡闹

monkey nutpeanut

Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.

monkey

→ قِرْدٌ opice abe Affe μαϊμού mono apina singe majmun scimmia サル 원숭이 aap ape małpa macaco обезьяна apa ลิง maymun con khỉ 猴子

Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009