monkey hanger en · NOUN
Etymology
Citizens of Hartlepool are alleged to have thought that a monkey which washed up onto the beach by the town during the Napoleonic wars was a French spy, and to have hanged it accordingly.
Meanings
- (Northumbria, Teesside, offensive) A person from Hartlepool.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| monkey hangers | Number=Plur | lexicographic |