monkey around

Related to monkey around: monkey business

monkey

1. slang A drug addiction. Did you hear? Pete checked himself into rehab to deal with the monkey on his back. I've been clean and sober for nearly five years, but that monkey is always there breathing down my neck.
2. A persistent burden or problem. This project is such a monkey on my back right now—I can't wait for it to be over. Trust me, don't get in debt. You don't want that monkey following you around.
3. informal A term of endearment, usually for a silly or mischievous child. You're such a silly little monkey! I turned those two monkeys loose outside so I could have a few minutes of peace while they run around.
4. slang A skilled laborer of a specialized craft or trade. Used in combinations. My parents were of course concerned when I decided to drop out of high school and become a grease monkey, but working on cars is my passion! My grandfather was one of the powder monkeys who helped blast through the rock with dynamite when they were building the Oroville Dam back in the late '60s.
5. ethnic slur A black person.

monkey around

To waste time or procrastinate by doing something unproductive or unhelpful; to fool around or spend time idly. Would you quit monkeying around and give me a hand cleaning the house? I should have started this essay last week, but I've been monkeying around with my new video game console.
See also: around, monkey
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

monkey

1. n. a playful child. (Also a term of address.) Come here, you little monkey!
2. n. a drug addiction. (see also have a monkey on one’s back.) That monkey of mine is getting hungry again.

monkey around

verb
See mess around with someone
See also: around, monkey

monkey around

verb
See mess around with something mess about with something
See also: around, monkey
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions
See also:
  • a monkey on your back
  • a/the monkey on somebody's back
  • monkey
  • monkey on (one's) back
  • monkey on one's back
  • have a monkey on (one's) back
  • have a monkey on one’s back
  • have a monkey on your back
  • have got a monkey on (one's) back
  • on the natch
References in periodicals archive
SINGER Jade Reddall loves to monkey around - as she serenades the animal attractions at Dudley Zoo.
Jade's on song to follow zoo-keeping dream
It was the wrong time to monkey around with team formations.
Letter: Your Shout - Newcastle and a struggle over
It seems the lamentable incident has followed Essex's favourite estate-reared, Burberry-clad howler monkey around ever since like a bad smell - talking of which, have you had a whiff of her new perfume?
Will India enjoy its big, bad Goody bag?
It's time again to monkey around in Microsoft's latest management title.
Animal magic
And they do -on Sleep/Holiday,Gorky's Zygotic Mynci monkey around with bluegrass, rock 'n' roll and gardening implements,and with the usual piano ballads thrown in for good measure, the result is anal bum that's everything we've come to expect from the low-fi Cardiff-basedfolksters.
Gorky's Zygotic Myncis just mynci-ing around
"If they want to mate, go to the toilet or just monkey around they will do it without shame in front of the cameras.
PETS AND THEIR PEOPLE: BIG BROTHER STARS BEHAVE LIKE ANIMALS
HEY, hey we're the Beckhams and people say we monkey around...
Apey days for family Beckham
IT'S nearly time to monkey around with the West Midland Safari Park's charity drive.
Monkey business at tea party
NAOMI Watts can't wait to monkey around for new movie King Kong, after being told she'll be acting with a real-life co-star rather than computer graphics.
THE RAZZ: showbuzz
And to help get into character she was shipped off to classes with fellow cast members, including Tim Roth, to learn to monkey around.
Lessons drove me ape
I'M glad Justin Bieber's finding time to monkey around in a pair of 100 denier tights in LA, cos it seems he's forgotten all about his pet monkey, who's stuck in quarantine in Germany.
Just sort it
TERRIFIED families had no time to monkey around when five chimps escaped their enclosure at a zoo.
The great ape escape; CHIMPS IN ZOO BREAK-OUT
YOU wouldn't want to monkey around with this young one's mum.
Monkeying around over baby name