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monkey business

 - 4 dictionary results

monkey business

–noun
1. frivolous or mischievous behavior.
2. improper or underhanded conduct; trickery.

Origin:
1880–85, Americanism
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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monkey business  
n.   Slang
Silly, mischievous, or deceitful acts or behavior.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Slang Dictionary
monkey business

and funny business
  1. n.
    silliness; dishonest tricks. : That's enough monkey business. Now, settle down. , Stop the funny business and get to work!
Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions by Richard A. Spears.Fourth Edition.
Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
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Idioms & Phrases

monkey business

Silly, mischievous, or deceitful conduct, as in The teacher told the children to cut out the monkey business and get to work, or I don't trust that lawyerthere's some monkey business going on. This expression transfers the tricks of monkeys to human behavior. [Late 1800s]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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