"monkey business" meaning in English

See monkey business in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Noun

IPA: /ˈmʌŋkɪ ˌbɪznɪs/ [Received-Pronunciation], /-nɪz/ [Received-Pronunciation], [-nəs] [Received-Pronunciation], [-nəz] [Received-Pronunciation], /ˈmʌŋki ˌbɪznɪs/ [General-American], /ˈməŋ-/ [General-American], /-nɪz/ [General-American], [-nəs] [General-American], [-nəz] [General-American] Audio: En-au-monkey business.ogg [Australia]
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. Etymology templates: {{compound|en|monkey|business}} monkey + business, {{calque|en|bn|বাঁদরামি|lit=monkey behaviour|nocap=1|t=mischief}} calque of Bengali বাঁদরামি (bãdrami, “mischief”, literally “monkey behaviour”), {{m|bn|বাঁদর|t=monkey}} বাঁদর (bãdor, “monkey”), {{glossary|suffix}} suffix, {{glossary|noun}} noun, {{m|bn|-আমি|pos=suffix forming nouns referring to the properties, qualities, or states of the words to which it is attached}} -আমি (-ami, suffix forming nouns referring to the properties, qualities, or states of the words to which it is attached) Head templates: {{en-noun|-}} monkey business (uncountable)
  1. Activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting. Tags: idiomatic, informal, uncountable Synonyms: mischief Translations (activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting): বাঁদরামি (bãdrami) (Bengali), 惡作劇 (Chinese Mandarin), 恶作剧 (èzuòjù) (Chinese Mandarin), 鬼名堂 (guǐmíngtáng) (Chinese Mandarin), 胡鬧 (Chinese Mandarin), 胡闹 (húnào) (Chinese Mandarin), apenstreek [feminine, masculine] (Dutch), ajanhukka (Finnish), koirankuje (Finnish), bêtise [feminine] (French), espièglerie [feminine] (French), macaquerie [feminine] (French), singerie [feminine] (French), Affengeschäft [neuter] (German), Affentheater [neuter] (German), Allotria [neuter, rare] (German), roba da matti [feminine] (Italian), 悪戯 (itazura) (alt: いたずら) (Japanese), мага́рштина (magárština) [feminine] (Macedonian), безобра́зие (bezobrázie) [neuter] (Macedonian), psoty [feminine, plural] (Polish), zbytki [masculine, plural] (Polish), figle [masculine, plural] (Polish), maimuțărie [feminine] (Romanian), безобра́зие (bezobrázije) [neuter] (Russian), озорство́ (ozorstvó) [neuter] (Russian), ша́лость (šálostʹ) [feminine] (Russian), шко́да (škóda) [feminine] (Russian), diabluras (english: chiefly of children) [feminine, plural] (Spanish), monada [feminine] (Spanish), monería [feminine] (Spanish), travesuras (english: chiefly of children) [feminine, plural] (Spanish), rackartyg [neuter] (Swedish), sattyg [neuter] (Swedish), boş iş (Turkish)
    Sense id: en-monkey_business-en-noun-pVJfsayW Disambiguation of 'activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting': 88 12
  2. Activity that is morally questionable or even mildly illegal. Tags: idiomatic, informal, uncountable Synonyms: hanky-panky, badness Translations (activity that is morally questionable or even mildly illegal): venkoilu (Finnish), いんちき (Japanese), インチキ (inchiki) (Japanese), 裏工作 (urakōsaku) (english: dodgy dealings) (alt: うらこうさく) (Japanese), и́трина (ítrina) [feminine] (Macedonian), świństwa [neuter, plural] (Polish), machlojki [feminine, plural] (Polish), хи́трости (xítrosti) [feminine, plural] (Russian), chanchullos [masculine, plural] (Spanish), juego sucio [masculine] (Spanish), trapicheos [masculine, plural] (Spanish), bedrägeri [neuter] (Swedish)
    Sense id: en-monkey_business-en-noun-NHNqdhho Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 34 66 Disambiguation of 'activity that is morally questionable or even mildly illegal': 11 89
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Related terms: I'll be a monkey's uncle, monkey, monkey around, monkeyshine

Download JSON data for monkey business meaning in English (12.8kB)

{
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "monkey",
        "3": "business"
      },
      "expansion": "monkey + business",
      "name": "compound"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "bn",
        "3": "বাঁদরামি",
        "lit": "monkey behaviour",
        "nocap": "1",
        "t": "mischief"
      },
      "expansion": "calque of Bengali বাঁদরামি (bãdrami, “mischief”, literally “monkey behaviour”)",
      "name": "calque"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "bn",
        "2": "বাঁদর",
        "t": "monkey"
      },
      "expansion": "বাঁদর (bãdor, “monkey”)",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "suffix"
      },
      "expansion": "suffix",
      "name": "glossary"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "noun"
      },
      "expansion": "noun",
      "name": "glossary"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "bn",
        "2": "-আমি",
        "pos": "suffix forming nouns referring to the properties, qualities, or states of the words to which it is attached"
      },
      "expansion": "-আমি (-ami, suffix forming nouns referring to the properties, qualities, or states of the words to which it is attached)",
      "name": "m"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "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.",
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "-"
      },
      "expansion": "monkey business (uncountable)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "hyphenation": [
    "monk‧ey"
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "related": [
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "word": "I'll be a monkey's uncle"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "word": "monkey"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "word": "monkey around"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "word": "monkeyshine"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "Stop all this monkey business and do your homework!",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "ref": "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",
          "text": "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.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "text": "2008 May 1, “Monkey Business With ‘Bigfoot’ And ‘Big Monkey’”, in Malaysia Today:",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2020 January 24, Neil Tennant, Chris Lowe (lyrics and music), “Monkey Business”, in Hotspot, performed by the Pet Shop Boys",
          "text": "I'm looking for monkey business / Just playing around / I'm here on monkey business / And look what I found",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting."
      ],
      "id": "en-monkey_business-en-noun-pVJfsayW",
      "links": [
        [
          "Activity",
          "activity"
        ],
        [
          "mischievous",
          "mischievous"
        ],
        [
          "stupid",
          "stupid#Adjective"
        ],
        [
          "time-wasting",
          "timewasting#Adjective"
        ]
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "mischief"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "idiomatic",
        "informal",
        "uncountable"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "88 12",
          "code": "bn",
          "lang": "Bengali",
          "roman": "bãdrami",
          "sense": "activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting",
          "word": "বাঁদরামি"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "88 12",
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "sense": "activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting",
          "word": "惡作劇"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "88 12",
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "roman": "èzuòjù",
          "sense": "activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting",
          "word": "恶作剧"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "88 12",
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "roman": "guǐmíngtáng",
          "sense": "activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting",
          "word": "鬼名堂"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "88 12",
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "sense": "activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting",
          "word": "胡鬧"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "88 12",
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "roman": "húnào",
          "sense": "activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting",
          "word": "胡闹"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "88 12",
          "code": "nl",
          "lang": "Dutch",
          "sense": "activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting",
          "tags": [
            "feminine",
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "apenstreek"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "88 12",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting",
          "word": "ajanhukka"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "88 12",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting",
          "word": "koirankuje"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "88 12",
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "bêtise"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "88 12",
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "espièglerie"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "88 12",
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "macaquerie"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "88 12",
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "singerie"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "88 12",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting",
          "tags": [
            "neuter"
          ],
          "word": "Affengeschäft"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "88 12",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting",
          "tags": [
            "neuter"
          ],
          "word": "Affentheater"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "88 12",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting",
          "tags": [
            "neuter",
            "rare"
          ],
          "word": "Allotria"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "88 12",
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "sense": "activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "roba da matti"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "88 12",
          "alt": "いたずら",
          "code": "ja",
          "lang": "Japanese",
          "roman": "itazura",
          "sense": "activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting",
          "word": "悪戯"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "88 12",
          "code": "mk",
          "lang": "Macedonian",
          "roman": "magárština",
          "sense": "activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "мага́рштина"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "88 12",
          "code": "mk",
          "lang": "Macedonian",
          "roman": "bezobrázie",
          "sense": "activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting",
          "tags": [
            "neuter"
          ],
          "word": "безобра́зие"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "88 12",
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "sense": "activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting",
          "tags": [
            "feminine",
            "plural"
          ],
          "word": "psoty"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "88 12",
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "sense": "activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting",
          "tags": [
            "masculine",
            "plural"
          ],
          "word": "zbytki"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "88 12",
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "sense": "activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting",
          "tags": [
            "masculine",
            "plural"
          ],
          "word": "figle"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "88 12",
          "code": "ro",
          "lang": "Romanian",
          "sense": "activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "maimuțărie"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "88 12",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "bezobrázije",
          "sense": "activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting",
          "tags": [
            "neuter"
          ],
          "word": "безобра́зие"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "88 12",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "ozorstvó",
          "sense": "activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting",
          "tags": [
            "neuter"
          ],
          "word": "озорство́"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "88 12",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "šálostʹ",
          "sense": "activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "ша́лость"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "88 12",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "škóda",
          "sense": "activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "шко́да"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "88 12",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "note": "валя́ние дурака́ n (valjánije duraká, literally “fulling or milling a fool”)",
          "sense": "activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "88 12",
          "code": "es",
          "english": "chiefly of children",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting",
          "tags": [
            "feminine",
            "plural"
          ],
          "word": "diabluras"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "88 12",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "monada"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "88 12",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "monería"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "88 12",
          "code": "es",
          "english": "chiefly of children",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting",
          "tags": [
            "feminine",
            "plural"
          ],
          "word": "travesuras"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "88 12",
          "code": "sv",
          "lang": "Swedish",
          "sense": "activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting",
          "tags": [
            "neuter"
          ],
          "word": "rackartyg"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "88 12",
          "code": "sv",
          "lang": "Swedish",
          "sense": "activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting",
          "tags": [
            "neuter"
          ],
          "word": "sattyg"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "88 12",
          "code": "tr",
          "lang": "Turkish",
          "sense": "activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting",
          "word": "boş iş"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "34 66",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "She wondered what sort of monkey business her neighbour was up to, sneaking out of his house at 1:00 am.",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Activity that is morally questionable or even mildly illegal."
      ],
      "id": "en-monkey_business-en-noun-NHNqdhho",
      "links": [
        [
          "morally",
          "morally"
        ],
        [
          "questionable",
          "questionable"
        ],
        [
          "mildly",
          "mildly"
        ],
        [
          "illegal",
          "illegal#Adjective"
        ]
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "hanky-panky"
        },
        {
          "word": "badness"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "idiomatic",
        "informal",
        "uncountable"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "11 89",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "activity that is morally questionable or even mildly illegal",
          "word": "venkoilu"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "11 89",
          "code": "ja",
          "lang": "Japanese",
          "sense": "activity that is morally questionable or even mildly illegal",
          "word": "いんちき"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "11 89",
          "code": "ja",
          "lang": "Japanese",
          "roman": "inchiki",
          "sense": "activity that is morally questionable or even mildly illegal",
          "word": "インチキ"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "11 89",
          "alt": "うらこうさく",
          "code": "ja",
          "english": "dodgy dealings",
          "lang": "Japanese",
          "roman": "urakōsaku",
          "sense": "activity that is morally questionable or even mildly illegal",
          "word": "裏工作"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "11 89",
          "code": "mk",
          "lang": "Macedonian",
          "roman": "ítrina",
          "sense": "activity that is morally questionable or even mildly illegal",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "и́трина"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "11 89",
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "sense": "activity that is morally questionable or even mildly illegal",
          "tags": [
            "neuter",
            "plural"
          ],
          "word": "świństwa"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "11 89",
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "sense": "activity that is morally questionable or even mildly illegal",
          "tags": [
            "feminine",
            "plural"
          ],
          "word": "machlojki"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "11 89",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "xítrosti",
          "sense": "activity that is morally questionable or even mildly illegal",
          "tags": [
            "feminine",
            "plural"
          ],
          "word": "хи́трости"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "11 89",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "activity that is morally questionable or even mildly illegal",
          "tags": [
            "masculine",
            "plural"
          ],
          "word": "chanchullos"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "11 89",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "activity that is morally questionable or even mildly illegal",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "juego sucio"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "11 89",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "activity that is morally questionable or even mildly illegal",
          "tags": [
            "masculine",
            "plural"
          ],
          "word": "trapicheos"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "11 89",
          "code": "sv",
          "lang": "Swedish",
          "sense": "activity that is morally questionable or even mildly illegal",
          "tags": [
            "neuter"
          ],
          "word": "bedrägeri"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈmʌŋkɪ ˌbɪznɪs/",
      "tags": [
        "Received-Pronunciation"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/-nɪz/",
      "tags": [
        "Received-Pronunciation"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "[-nəs]",
      "tags": [
        "Received-Pronunciation"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "[-nəz]",
      "tags": [
        "Received-Pronunciation"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈmʌŋki ˌbɪznɪs/",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈməŋ-/",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/-nɪz/",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "[-nəs]",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "[-nəz]",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "En-au-monkey business.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/d/d6/En-au-monkey_business.ogg/En-au-monkey_business.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/En-au-monkey_business.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "Australia"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (AU)"
    }
  ],
  "word": "monkey business"
}
{
  "categories": [
    "English compound terms",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English idioms",
    "English informal terms",
    "English lemmas",
    "English multiword terms",
    "English nouns",
    "English terms calqued from Bengali",
    "English terms derived from Bengali",
    "English terms with IPA pronunciation",
    "English terms with audio links",
    "English uncountable nouns"
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "monkey",
        "3": "business"
      },
      "expansion": "monkey + business",
      "name": "compound"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "bn",
        "3": "বাঁদরামি",
        "lit": "monkey behaviour",
        "nocap": "1",
        "t": "mischief"
      },
      "expansion": "calque of Bengali বাঁদরামি (bãdrami, “mischief”, literally “monkey behaviour”)",
      "name": "calque"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "bn",
        "2": "বাঁদর",
        "t": "monkey"
      },
      "expansion": "বাঁদর (bãdor, “monkey”)",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "suffix"
      },
      "expansion": "suffix",
      "name": "glossary"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "noun"
      },
      "expansion": "noun",
      "name": "glossary"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "bn",
        "2": "-আমি",
        "pos": "suffix forming nouns referring to the properties, qualities, or states of the words to which it is attached"
      },
      "expansion": "-আমি (-ami, suffix forming nouns referring to the properties, qualities, or states of the words to which it is attached)",
      "name": "m"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "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.",
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "-"
      },
      "expansion": "monkey business (uncountable)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "hyphenation": [
    "monk‧ey"
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "related": [
    {
      "word": "I'll be a monkey's uncle"
    },
    {
      "word": "monkey"
    },
    {
      "word": "monkey around"
    },
    {
      "word": "monkeyshine"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with quotations",
        "English terms with usage examples"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "Stop all this monkey business and do your homework!",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "ref": "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",
          "text": "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.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "text": "2008 May 1, “Monkey Business With ‘Bigfoot’ And ‘Big Monkey’”, in Malaysia Today:",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2020 January 24, Neil Tennant, Chris Lowe (lyrics and music), “Monkey Business”, in Hotspot, performed by the Pet Shop Boys",
          "text": "I'm looking for monkey business / Just playing around / I'm here on monkey business / And look what I found",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "Activity",
          "activity"
        ],
        [
          "mischievous",
          "mischievous"
        ],
        [
          "stupid",
          "stupid#Adjective"
        ],
        [
          "time-wasting",
          "timewasting#Adjective"
        ]
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "mischief"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "idiomatic",
        "informal",
        "uncountable"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with usage examples"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "She wondered what sort of monkey business her neighbour was up to, sneaking out of his house at 1:00 am.",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Activity that is morally questionable or even mildly illegal."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "morally",
          "morally"
        ],
        [
          "questionable",
          "questionable"
        ],
        [
          "mildly",
          "mildly"
        ],
        [
          "illegal",
          "illegal#Adjective"
        ]
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "hanky-panky"
        },
        {
          "word": "badness"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "idiomatic",
        "informal",
        "uncountable"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈmʌŋkɪ ˌbɪznɪs/",
      "tags": [
        "Received-Pronunciation"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/-nɪz/",
      "tags": [
        "Received-Pronunciation"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "[-nəs]",
      "tags": [
        "Received-Pronunciation"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "[-nəz]",
      "tags": [
        "Received-Pronunciation"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈmʌŋki ˌbɪznɪs/",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈməŋ-/",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/-nɪz/",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "[-nəs]",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "[-nəz]",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "En-au-monkey business.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/d/d6/En-au-monkey_business.ogg/En-au-monkey_business.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/En-au-monkey_business.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "Australia"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (AU)"
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "bn",
      "lang": "Bengali",
      "roman": "bãdrami",
      "sense": "activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting",
      "word": "বাঁদরামি"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "sense": "activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting",
      "word": "惡作劇"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "roman": "èzuòjù",
      "sense": "activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting",
      "word": "恶作剧"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "roman": "guǐmíngtáng",
      "sense": "activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting",
      "word": "鬼名堂"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "sense": "activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting",
      "word": "胡鬧"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "roman": "húnào",
      "sense": "activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting",
      "word": "胡闹"
    },
    {
      "code": "nl",
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "sense": "activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting",
      "tags": [
        "feminine",
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "apenstreek"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting",
      "word": "ajanhukka"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting",
      "word": "koirankuje"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "bêtise"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "espièglerie"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "macaquerie"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "singerie"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting",
      "tags": [
        "neuter"
      ],
      "word": "Affengeschäft"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting",
      "tags": [
        "neuter"
      ],
      "word": "Affentheater"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting",
      "tags": [
        "neuter",
        "rare"
      ],
      "word": "Allotria"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "roba da matti"
    },
    {
      "alt": "いたずら",
      "code": "ja",
      "lang": "Japanese",
      "roman": "itazura",
      "sense": "activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting",
      "word": "悪戯"
    },
    {
      "code": "mk",
      "lang": "Macedonian",
      "roman": "magárština",
      "sense": "activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "мага́рштина"
    },
    {
      "code": "mk",
      "lang": "Macedonian",
      "roman": "bezobrázie",
      "sense": "activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting",
      "tags": [
        "neuter"
      ],
      "word": "безобра́зие"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting",
      "tags": [
        "feminine",
        "plural"
      ],
      "word": "psoty"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting",
      "tags": [
        "masculine",
        "plural"
      ],
      "word": "zbytki"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting",
      "tags": [
        "masculine",
        "plural"
      ],
      "word": "figle"
    },
    {
      "code": "ro",
      "lang": "Romanian",
      "sense": "activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "maimuțărie"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "bezobrázije",
      "sense": "activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting",
      "tags": [
        "neuter"
      ],
      "word": "безобра́зие"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "ozorstvó",
      "sense": "activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting",
      "tags": [
        "neuter"
      ],
      "word": "озорство́"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "šálostʹ",
      "sense": "activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "ша́лость"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "škóda",
      "sense": "activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "шко́да"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "note": "валя́ние дурака́ n (valjánije duraká, literally “fulling or milling a fool”)",
      "sense": "activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "english": "chiefly of children",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting",
      "tags": [
        "feminine",
        "plural"
      ],
      "word": "diabluras"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "monada"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "monería"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "english": "chiefly of children",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting",
      "tags": [
        "feminine",
        "plural"
      ],
      "word": "travesuras"
    },
    {
      "code": "sv",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "sense": "activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting",
      "tags": [
        "neuter"
      ],
      "word": "rackartyg"
    },
    {
      "code": "sv",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "sense": "activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting",
      "tags": [
        "neuter"
      ],
      "word": "sattyg"
    },
    {
      "code": "tr",
      "lang": "Turkish",
      "sense": "activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting",
      "word": "boş iş"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "activity that is morally questionable or even mildly illegal",
      "word": "venkoilu"
    },
    {
      "code": "ja",
      "lang": "Japanese",
      "sense": "activity that is morally questionable or even mildly illegal",
      "word": "いんちき"
    },
    {
      "code": "ja",
      "lang": "Japanese",
      "roman": "inchiki",
      "sense": "activity that is morally questionable or even mildly illegal",
      "word": "インチキ"
    },
    {
      "alt": "うらこうさく",
      "code": "ja",
      "english": "dodgy dealings",
      "lang": "Japanese",
      "roman": "urakōsaku",
      "sense": "activity that is morally questionable or even mildly illegal",
      "word": "裏工作"
    },
    {
      "code": "mk",
      "lang": "Macedonian",
      "roman": "ítrina",
      "sense": "activity that is morally questionable or even mildly illegal",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "и́трина"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "activity that is morally questionable or even mildly illegal",
      "tags": [
        "neuter",
        "plural"
      ],
      "word": "świństwa"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "activity that is morally questionable or even mildly illegal",
      "tags": [
        "feminine",
        "plural"
      ],
      "word": "machlojki"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "xítrosti",
      "sense": "activity that is morally questionable or even mildly illegal",
      "tags": [
        "feminine",
        "plural"
      ],
      "word": "хи́трости"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "activity that is morally questionable or even mildly illegal",
      "tags": [
        "masculine",
        "plural"
      ],
      "word": "chanchullos"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "activity that is morally questionable or even mildly illegal",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "juego sucio"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "activity that is morally questionable or even mildly illegal",
      "tags": [
        "masculine",
        "plural"
      ],
      "word": "trapicheos"
    },
    {
      "code": "sv",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "sense": "activity that is morally questionable or even mildly illegal",
      "tags": [
        "neuter"
      ],
      "word": "bedrägeri"
    }
  ],
  "word": "monkey business"
}

This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-04-26 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-04-21 using wiktextract (93a6c53 and 21a9316). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.