monkey's paw
- noun
- /ˈmʌŋkiˌz pɔ/
- Literature
:
pata de mono
- In the story, the monkey's paw symbolizes how wishes can lead to dire consequences.
Examples
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In literature, the monkey's paw serves as a cautionary tale about tampering with fate.
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The ancient relic acted as a monkey's paw, complicating every wish made upon it.
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He warned that the contract might be a monkey's paw, delivering benefits with hidden costs.
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The monkey's paw is a classic tale of caution.
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In the story, the monkey's paw grants wishes.
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The monkey's paw warns against the dangers of wanting more than we need.
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After using the monkey's paw, their lives changed in unexpected and tragic ways.
Synonyms
A sudden change that breaks your plans, often causing trouble
Antonyms
Surface Forms
Morphology
monkey's + paw
The phrase refers to a literary/cultural motif (from W.W. Jacobs) about wishes producing unintended consequences, which cannot be inferred from the literal constituents 'monkey's' (possessive of monkey) and 'paw' (animal foot). A B1 learner who knows the words would most likely interpret it literally and would not predict the idiomatic meaning without prior exposure, so it is opaque.
Etymology
Monkey's paw comes from a famous short story about a magical monkey paw that granted wishes but always brought harmful surprises. That's why monkey's paw now describes something that seems helpful but leads to 'unexpected bad results'.