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monkey business. noun [ U ] uk / ˈmʌŋ.ki ˌbɪz.nɪs / us / ˈmʌŋ.ki ˌbɪz.nɪs / Add to word list. behaviour that is not acceptable or is dishonest: The teacher suspected that there had been some monkey business going on while she was out of the room. SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases. Cheating & tricking. anti-fraud. bad faith. bamboozle.
The meaning of MONKEY BUSINESS is shenanigan. How to use monkey business in a sentence.
Monkey business is illegal business or illegal action taken by someone. Or things you do that can't favour you.
noun [ U ] us / ˈmʌŋ·ki ˌbɪz·nəs / Add to word list. dishonest or illegal behavior: There’s been some monkey business connected with his tax returns. (Definition of monkey business from the Cambridge Academic Content Dictionary © Cambridge University Press) Examples of monkey business. monkey business.
monkey business. Tricks; underhanded goings-on. This term, which transfers the mischievous, sly actions of monkeys to human beings, began to be used in the 1880s. It may have been a replacement for monkeyshines, which originated in the United States about 1820 and meant mischievous tricks.
-1. deceitful or dishonest conduct 2. silly, foolish or mischievous behavior. · I thought being a nanny would be all fun and games, until I realized how much monkey business was involved in trying to entertain a group of toddlers who think that eating crayons is a good idea. Origin of the phrase: Monkeys are a wild bunch.
Use monkey business to describe what your sneaky, mischievous little brother gets up to when no one's watching him. Climbing on top of the refrigerator or filling the sugar bowl with salt could both be described as monkey business.
noun. frivolous or mischievous behavior. improper or underhanded conduct; trickery. monkey business. noun. informal. mischievous, suspect, dishonest, or meddlesome behaviour or acts. Discover More. Word History and Origins. Origin of monkey business 1. An Americanism dating back to 1880–85. Discover More. Idioms and Phrases.
Definition of monkey business noun in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.
1. frivolous or mischievous behavior. 2. improper or underhanded conduct; trickery. Most material © 2005, 1997, 1991 by Penguin Random House LLC. Modified entries © 2019 by Penguin Random House LLC and HarperCollins Publishers Ltd. Word origin. [ 1880–85, Amer.] Word Frequency. monkey business. dishonest or unacceptable behaviour.
