monkey

• POS: Noun, Verb (intransitive), Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: mon=key

CIDE DICTIONARY

monkey, n. [Cf. OIt. monicchio, It. monnino, dim. of monna an ape, also dame, mistress, contr. fr. madonna. See Madonna.].

•  In the most general sense, any one of the Quadrumana, including apes, baboons, and lemurs.  [1913 Webster]

  " The monkeys are often divided into three groups: (a) Catarrhines, or Simidæ. These have an oblong head, with the oblique flat nostrils near together. Some have no tail, as the apes. All these are natives of the Old World. (b) Platyrhines, or Cebidæ. These have a round head, with a broad nasal septum, so that the nostrils are wide apart and directed downward. The tail is often prehensile, and the thumb is short and not opposable. These are natives of the New World. (c) Strepsorhines, or Lemuroidea. These have a pointed head with curved nostrils. They are natives of Southern Asia, Africa, and Madagascar."  [1913 Webster]
•  A term of disapproval, ridicule, or contempt, as for a mischievous child.  [1913 Webster]

  "This is the monkey's own giving out; she is persuaded I will marry her."  [1913 Webster]
•  The weight or hammer of a pile driver, that is, a very heavy mass of iron, which, being raised on high, falls on the head of the pile, and drives it into the earth; the falling weight of a drop hammer used in forging.  [1913 Webster]
•  A small trading vessel of the sixteenth century.  [1913 Webster]

Monkey boat. (Naut.) (a) A small boat used in docks. (b) A half-decked boat used on the River Thames. -- Monkey block (Naut.), a small single block strapped with a swivel. R. H. Dana, Jr. -- Monkey flower (Bot.), a plant of the genus Mimulus; -- so called from the appearance of its gaping corolla. Gray. -- Monkey gaff (Naut.), a light gaff attached to the topmast for the better display of signals at sea. -- Monkey jacket, a short closely fitting jacket, worn by sailors. -- Monkey rail (Naut.), a second and lighter rail raised about six inches above the quarter rail of a ship. -- Monkey shine, monkey trick. [Slang, U.S.] -- Monkey trick, a mischievous prank. Saintsbury. -- Monkey wheel. See Gin block, under 5th Gin.

monkey, v. t. & i. 

 To act or treat as a monkey does; to ape; to act in a grotesque or meddlesome manner.  [1913 Webster]

To monkey with, To monkey around with, to handle in a meddlesome manner. [Colloq.]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

monkey, n. & v.
--n. (pl. -eys)
1 any of various New World and Old World primates esp. of the families Cebidae (including capuchins), Callitrichidae (including marmosets and tamarins), and Cercopithecidae (including baboons and apes).
2 a mischievous person, esp. a child (young monkey).
3 sl. a Brit. {pound}500. b US $500.
4 (in full monkey engine) a machine hammer for pile-driving etc.
--v. (-eys, -eyed)
1 tr. mimic or mock.
2 intr. (often foll. by with) tamper or play mischievous tricks.
3 intr. (foll. by around, about) fool around.

Idiom

have a monkey on one's back sl. be a drug addict. make a monkey of humiliate by making appear ridiculous. monkey bread the baobab tree or its fruit. monkey business colloq. mischief. monkey flower a mimulus, esp. Mimulus cardinalis, with bright yellow flowers. monkey-jacket a short close-fitting jacket worn by sailors etc. or at a mess. monkey-nut a peanut. monkey-puzzle a coniferous tree, Araucaria araucaria, native to Chile, with downward-pointing branches and small close-set leaves. monkey-suit colloq. evening dress. monkey tricks colloq. mischief. monkey wrench a wrench with an adjustable jaw.

Derivative

monkeyish adj.

Etymology

16th c.: orig. unkn. (perh. LG)

DEVIL DICTIONARY

monkey

n. An arboreal animal which makes itself at home in genealogical trees.

THESAURUS

monkey

Cape polecat, Chiroptera, Irish, Lagomorpha, Primates, Rodentia, ape, ass, babe, bad temper, bantam, bar, bawbee, bear, boob, butt, byword, byword of reproach, cavy, chimp, chimpanzee, chump, cinch, conformist, coon, copier, copy, copycat, copyist, coquet, counterfeiter, credulous person, crown, cuckoo, cull, dabble, dally, dander, derision, devil, dissembler, dissimulator, dollar, dupe, duplicate, easy mark, easy pickings, echo, echoer, echoist, fair game, faker, fall guy, farthing, ferret, fiddle, fiddle with, fiddle-faddle, fidget with, figure of fun, finger with, fish, fiver, flirt, florin, fool, fool around, fool with, forger, foumart, fourpence, fourpenny, fribble, frivol, game, gamin, gazingstock, glutton, goat, gobe-mouches, greener, greenhorn, greeny, groat, groundhog, gudgeon, guinea, guinea pig, gull, half crown, half dollar, halfpenny, hedgehog, horse around, hypocrite, idle, imitate, imitator, imp, impersonate, impersonator, impostor, innocent, interfere with, jerk off, jest, jestingstock, joke, kid around, laughingstock, leadpipe cinch, little, loiter, mag, mark, meddle with, meg, mess around, mime, mimer, mimic, mimicker, mischief-maker, mite, mocker, mockery, mockingbird, monk, monkey around, mousehound, new pence, np, opossum, p, parrot, patsy, pence, penny, petite, phony, piddle, pigeon, plagiarist, play, play around, play with, plaything, polecat, poll-parrot, polly, polly-parrot, pony, porcupine, poseur, possum, potter, pound, prairie dog, primate, prize sap, pushover, putter, quid, quill pig, raccoon, rapscallion, rascal, sap, saphead, scamp, schlemiel, sheep, shilling, simian, simulator, sitting duck, sixpence, skunk, smallish, smatter, stock, stooge, sucker, tamper with, target, temper, tenner, threepence, threepenny bit, thrippence, tinker, toy, toy with, trifle, trusting soul, tuppence, twiddle, twopence, victim, weasel, whistle-pig, wolverine, woodchuck, zoril

ROGET THESAURUS

monkey

Imitation

N imitation, copying, transcription, repetition, duplication, reduplication, quotation, reproduction, mimeograph, xerox, facsimile, reprint, offprint, mockery, mimicry, simulation, impersonation, personation, representation, semblance, copy, assimilation, paraphrase, parody, take-off, lampoon, caricature, plagiarism, forgery, counterfeit, celluloid, imitator, echo, cuckoo, parrot, ape, monkey, mocking bird, mime, copyist, copycat, plagiarist, pirate, imitated, mock, mimic, modelled after, molded on, paraphrastic, literal, imitative, secondhand, imitable, aping, apish, mimicking, literally, to the letter, verbatim, literatim, sic, totidem verbis, word for word, mot a mot, exactly, precisely, like master like man, like - but oh! how different!, genius borrows nobly, pursuing echoes calling 'mong the rocks, quotation confesses inferiority, Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

Ugliness

N ugliness, deformity, inelegance, acomia, disfigurement, want of symmetry, inconcinnity, distortion, squalor, forbidding countenance, vinegar aspect, hanging look, wry face, spretae injuria formae, eyesore, object, witch, hag, figure, sight, fright, monster, dog, woofer, pig, octopus, specter, scarecrow, harridan, satyr, toad, monkey, baboon, Caliban, Aesop, monstrum horrendum informe ingens cui lumen adempt, ugly, ugly as sin, ugly as a toad, ugly as a scarecrow, ugly as a dead monkey, plain, bald (unadorned), homely, ordinary, unornamental, inartistic, unsightly, unseemly, uncomely, unlovely, unshapely, sightless, seemless, not fit to be seen, unbeauteous, unbeautiful, beautiless, semibeautiful, shapeless, misshapen, misproportioned, monstrous, gaunt, dumpy, curtailed of its fair proportions, ill-made, ill- shaped, ill-proportioned, crooked, hard featured, hard visaged, ill-favored, hard-favored, evil-favored, ill-looking, unprepossessing, unattractive, uninviting, unpleasing, graceless, inelegant, ungraceful, ungainly, uncouth, stiff, rugged, rough, gross, rude, awkward, clumsy, slouching, rickety, gawky, lumping, lumpish, lumbering, hulky, hulking, unwieldy, squalid, haggard, grim, grim faced, grim visaged, grisly, ghastly, ghost like, death like, cadaverous, grewsome, gruesome, frightful, hideous, odious, uncanny, forbidding, repellant, repulsive, repugnant, grotesque, bizarre, grody, grody to the max, horrid, horrible, shocking, foul, dingy, gaudy, disfigured, discolored.

Support

N support, ground, foundation, base, basis, terra firma, bearing, fulcrum, bait, caudex crib, point d'appui, pou sto, purchase footing, hold, locus standi, landing place, landing stage, stage, platform, block, rest, resting place, groundwork, substratum, riprap, sustentation, subvention, floor, supporter, aid, prop, stand, anvil, fulciment, cue rest, jigger, monkey, stay, shore, skid, rib, truss, bandage, sleeper, stirrup, stilts, shoe, sole, heel, splint, lap, bar, rod, boom, sprit, outrigger, ratlings, staff, stick, crutch, alpenstock, baton, staddle, bourdon, cowlstaff, lathi, mahlstick, post, pillar, shaft, thill, column, pilaster, pediment, pedicle, pedestal, plinth, shank, leg, socle, zocle, buttress, jamb, mullion, abutment, baluster, banister, stanchion, balustrade, headstone, upright, door post, jamb, door jamb, frame, framework, scaffold, skeleton, beam, rafter, girder, lintel, joist, travis, trave, corner stone, summer, transom, rung, round, step, sill, angle rafter, hip rafter, cantilever, modillion, crown post, king post, vertebra, columella, backbone, keystone, axle, axletree, axis, arch, mainstay, trunnion, pivot, rowlock, peg, tiebeam, thole pin, board, ledge, shelf, hob, bracket, trevet, trivet, arbor, rack, mantel, mantle piece, mantleshelf, slab, console, counter, dresser, flange, corbel, table, trestle, shoulder, perch, horse, easel, desk, clotheshorse, hatrack, retable, teapoy, seat, throne, dais, divan, musnud, chair, bench, form, stool, sofa, settee, stall, arm chair, easy chair, elbow chair, rocking chair, couch, fauteuil, woolsack, ottoman, settle, squab, bench, aparejo, faldstool, horn, long chair, long sleeve chair, morris chair, lamba chauki, lamba kursi, saddle, pannel, pillion, side saddle, pack saddle, pommel, bed, berth, pallet, tester, crib, cot, hammock, shakedown, trucklebed, cradle, litter, stretcher, bedstead, four poster, French bed, bunk, kip, palang, bedding, bichhona, mattress, paillasse, pillow, bolster, mat, rug, cushion, footstool, hassock, tabouret, tripod, monopod, Atlas, Persides, Atlantes, Caryatides, Hercules, supporting, supported, fundamental, dorsigerous, astride on, straddle.

Impulse

N impulse, sudden thought, impromptu, improvisation, inspiration, flash, spurt, improvisatore, creature of impulse, extemporaneous, impulsive, indeliberate, snap, improvised, improvisate, improvisatory, unpremeditated, unmeditated, improvise, unprompted, unguided, natural, unguarded, spontaneous, instinctive, extempore, extemporaneously, offhand, impromptu, a limproviste, improviso, on the spur of the moment, on the spur of the occasion, impulse, impulsion, impetus, momentum, push, pulsion, thrust, shove, jog, jolt, brunt, booming, boost, throw, explosion, propulsion, percussion, concussion, collision, occursion, clash, encounter, cannon, carambole, appulse, shock, crash, bump, impact, elan, charge, beating, blow, dint, stroke, knock, tap, rap, slap, smack, pat, dab, fillip, slam, bang, hit, whack, thwack, cuff, squash, dowse, swap, whap, punch, thump, pelt, kick, punce, calcitration, ruade, arietation, cut, thrust, lunge, yerk, carom, carrom, clip, jab, plug, sidewinder, sidewipe, sideswipe, hammer, sledge hammer, mall, maul, mallet, flail, ram, rammer, battering ram, monkey, pile-driving engine, punch, bat, cant hook, cudgel, ax, dynamics, seismometer, accelerometer, earthquake detector, impelling, impulsive, impellent, booming, dynamic, dynamical, impelled, a hit, a very palpable hit.