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monkey

1 monkey /ˈmʌŋki/ noun
plural monkeys
1 monkey
/ˈmʌŋki/
noun
plural monkeys
Britannica Dictionary definition of MONKEY
[count]
: a type of animal that is closely related to apes and humans and that has a long tail and usually lives in trees see also rhesus monkey
chiefly British : a person (especially a child) who causes trouble in a playful way

a monkey on your back

: a problem that you cannot easily get rid of or solve : a problem or situation that makes you unhappy and that lasts for a long time

make a monkey out of

informal
: to cause (someone) to look very foolish : to make a fool out of (someone)

more fun than a barrel (full) of monkeys

see 1barrel

not give a monkey's

British, informal
: to not care at all about something.
see also grease monkey
2 monkey /ˈmʌŋki/ verb
monkeys; monkeyed; monkeying
2 monkey
/ˈmʌŋki/
verb
monkeys; monkeyed; monkeying
Britannica Dictionary definition of MONKEY

monkey around

[phrasal verb] informal or British monkey about
: to do things that are not useful or serious : to waste time
monkey around/about with (something) informal
: to use or do (something) in a way that is not very serious
: to handle or play with (something) in a careless or foolish way

monkey with

[phrasal verb]
monkey with (something) informal
: to handle or play with (something) in a careless way : to monkey around with (something)