monkey business en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- [-nəs] (Received-Pronunciation)
- /ˈmʌŋki ˌbɪznɪs/ (General-American)
- (Australia) audio
- [-nəs] (General-American)
- /-nɪz/ (Received-Pronunciation)
- /ˈmʌŋkɪ ˌbɪznɪs/ (Received-Pronunciation)
- /-nɪz/ (General-American)
- /ˈməŋ-/ (General-American)
- [-nəz] (General-American)
- [-nəz] (Received-Pronunciation)
Etymology
From monkey + business, probably a calque of Bengali বাঁদরামি (bãdrami, “mischief”, literally “monkey-behaviour”), from বাঁদর (bãdor, “monkey”) + -আমি (-ami, suffix forming nouns referring to the properties, qualities, or states of the words to which it is attached), from the perception that monkeys behave mischievously.
Meanings
-
(idiomatic, informal, uncountable) Activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting.
Stop all this monkey business and do your homework!
I’m going to take off the cuffs, Slim, and off you, Jerry. But don’t try any monkey business. When Peters answers the door, you tell him everything’s O. K., and that you’re the committee, see? Once the door’s open, we’ll do the rest.
1918 December 10, J[oseph] Allan Dunn, “The Man With the Mole”, in Detective Story Magazine, volume XIX, number 5, New York, N.Y.: Street & Smith Corporation, →OCLC, chapter VIII (The End of Baldy), page 39, column 1:I'm looking for monkey business / Just playing around / I'm here on monkey business / And look what I found
2020 January 24, Neil Tennant, Chris Lowe, “Monkey Business”, in Hotspot, performed by the Pet Shop Boys:
-
(idiomatic, informal, uncountable) Activity that is morally questionable or even mildly illegal.
If you ever hear a man talking about his duty as a citizen, by the Living Jingo dont trust him. … He's up to some kind of monkey business nine times out of ten. You dont know what a relief it is to me that you and Joe are comfortably settled in life.
1925, John Dos Passos, “Revolving Doors”, in Manhattan Transfer, New York, N.Y.; London: Harper & Brothers, →OCLC, 3rd section, page 328:She wondered what sort of monkey business her neighbour was up to, sneaking out of his house at 1:00 am.
Relateds
I'll be a monkey's uncle · monkey around · monkeyshine · monkey
Synonyms
pranksomeness · delinquency · goings-on · puckishness · deviltry · mischief · hanky-panky · pranksomeness · knavery · bad manners · impropriety · misconduct · impishness · badness · scampishness · wrongness · impishness · mischief · roguishness · devilishness · devilishness · wrong · roguishness · puckishness · deviltry · prankishness · badness · rascality · elfishness · delinquincy · hanky-panky · roguery · devilry · misconduct · elfishness · misbehavior · disobedience · naughtiness · goings-on · devilry · scampishness · devilment · misdemeanor · monkey business · devilment · mischievousness · roguery · mischievousness · naughtiness · rascality · impropriety · prankishness · misdemeanor · hanky-panky · misbehavior · monkey business
Translations (49)
de Affentheater (activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting) · ja インチキ (activity that is morally questionable or even mildly illegal) · tr boş iş (activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting) · de Affengeschäft (activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting) · fi koirankuje (activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting) · fi venkoilu (activity that is morally questionable or even mildly illegal) · mk безобра́зие (activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting) · fr macaquerie (activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting) · ru хи́трости (activity that is morally questionable or even mildly illegal) · cmn 惡作劇 /恶作剧 (activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting) · cmn 鬼名堂 (activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting) · fr bêtise (activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting) · es diabluras (activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting) · sv rackartyg (activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting) · es trapicheos (activity that is morally questionable or even mildly illegal) · ja 悪戯 (activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting) · nl apenstreek (activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting) · it roba da matti (activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting) · fi ajanhukka (activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting) · es monada (activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting) · cmn 胡鬧 /胡闹 (activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting) · es monería (activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting) · ru шко́да (activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting) · ko 허튼짓 (activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting) · sv sattyg (activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting) · ru ша́лость (activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting) · ja 裏工作 (activity that is morally questionable or even mildly illegal) · pl machlojki (activity that is morally questionable or even mildly illegal) · pl zbytki (activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting) · mk и́трина (activity that is morally questionable or even mildly illegal) · mk мага́рштина (activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting) · ja いんちき (activity that is morally questionable or even mildly illegal) · es juego sucio (activity that is morally questionable or even mildly illegal) · pl figle (activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting) · sv bedrägeri (activity that is morally questionable or even mildly illegal) · de Allotria (activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting) · pl psoty (activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting) · ru озорство́ (activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting) · cmn 灰色產業 /灰色产业 (activity that is morally questionable or even mildly illegal) · ru безобра́зие (activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting) · fr espièglerie (activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting) · pl świństwa (activity that is morally questionable or even mildly illegal) · bn বাঁদরামি (activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting) · es travesuras (activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting) · es chanchullos (activity that is morally questionable or even mildly illegal) · fr singerie (activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting) · it scimmiata (activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting) · cmn 灰產 /灰产 (activity that is morally questionable or even mildly illegal) · ro maimuțărie (activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting)