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to monkey

to monkey

11 8.2
To touch or change something in a secret, careless way
  • verb
  • /ˈmʌŋki/
  • Informal
translation icon : trastear con
  • Be careful not to monkey with the settings on the printer; it could cause more problems.

But hey, we didn't monkey up our back fourth quarter one score game.

Examples

Synonyms

to tamper
vsto monkey
113 4.9

To interfere with something without permission in a harmful or dishonest way

is secretive or ineffective meddling rather than clearly harmful interference
to mess around
vsto monkey
  • Informal
111 4.1

To spend time doing playful or unplanned activities

involves secretive or ineffective fiddling rather than general idle time
to tinker
vsto monkey
47 4.5

To try small changes to fix or improve something

is meddling done secretly or ineffectively rather than purposeful casual repair
to putter
vsto monkey
  • Informal
11 7.0

To spend time doing small, not important jobs in a relaxed way

is meddling done secretly or ineffectively rather than gentle, purposeless activity
to fiddle
vsto monkey
  • Informal
5 8.0

To cheat by changing records or numbers to hide facts

is secretive or clumsy meddling rather than deliberate fraudulent alteration
to monkey around
vsto monkey
  • Informal
4 7.3

Waste time by acting silly instead of working

is secretive, clumsy meddling rather than simple idle or silly behaviour
to muck around
vsto monkey
  • UK
3 8.4

To spend time doing not important things in a relaxed way

involves covert or ineffective fiddling rather than casual leisure
to muck about
vsto monkey
  • UK
1 8.7

To spend time doing things that are not important

refers to secretive meddling or clumsy tampering rather than relaxed idling
to potter
vsto monkey
  • UK
1 6.5

To spend time slowly doing small simple jobs without hurry

is secretive or clumsy interference rather than calm, leisurely activity

Antonyms

2.3

To avoid touching and disturbing a person, animal or object

Idioms

monkey business
  • Informal
5 4.6

Playful mischief that can include small dishonest acts to trick or amuse people

3 8.4

Make someone look silly in front of other people by tricking or embarrassing them

2 8.7

A problem that stays with you and causes worry

1 7.8

A person who is between two sides and cannot change what happens

Cause problems on purpose that stop a plan or process from working smoothly

brass monkey
  • Informal
8.9

Very cold weather

A pointless attempt that is unlikely to work

9.9

Be very cold, like in winter

9.9

To become angry or upset

Phrasal Verbs

to monkey around
  • Informal
4 7.3

Waste time by acting silly instead of working

Compounds

grease monkey
  • Offensive
5 7.7

A person who repairs cars and other machines

An animal that lives in trees in the Americas with long thin arms and a tail that grasps branches

monkey suit
  • Informal
3 6.7

A formal suit or costume worn as a joke

A medium-sized monkey from South Asia often used in medical research

2 3.0

A tool with one fixed and one movable jaw that grips and turns bolts

2 3.8

A large monkey from Central and South American forests that makes very loud calls

colobus monkey
  • South African
1 7.0

A monkey that lives in trees in Africa with long silky fur and small or no thumbs

monkey boy
  • Informal
1 8.2

A boy who is playful, energetic and a little naughty

monkey talk
  • Informal
1 8.9

Silly or unimportant talk that wastes time

1 5.9

A monkey from Central and South America with a flat nose and often a tail that can hold things

code monkey
  • Offensive
1 8.2

A person who only writes routine computer code and has no say in decisions

1 9.1

A tool used to catch monkeys by giving them bait they cannot remove

monkey wrench
  • Informal
1 7.0

An unexpected problem that causes trouble with a plan

1 6.1

A peanut that is still in its shell, often with two nuts inside

1 9.3

A large tropical tree with wide branches that give shade and seed pods eaten by animals

1 5.5

A live act in which trained monkeys do tricks for people to watch

1 6.5

A West African monkey that lives in open grasslands with a greenish-grey back and a yellow tail

phone monkey
  • Offensive
1 9.9

A person who answers many phone calls to help customers in a call center

A small active monkey with a long tail and dark face that lives in Central and South American forests

A large monkey with thick soft fur that lives in South American rainforests

bonnet monkey
  • Indian
9.9

A monkey with a tuft of hair on its head that lives in southern India

brass monkey
  • Archaic
9.9

A metal stand used on old ships to hold cannon balls

9.9

A person who acts silly and playful

A rude, insulting name for people from France that calls them cowardly

crown monkey
  • Indian
9.9

A monkey from India with a small crown of hair on its head

cynomolgus monkey
  • Specialized
7.2

A small monkey from Southeast Asia often used in medical research

African green monkey
  • South African
6.2

A monkey that lives on the African savanna with greenish-grey fur and a yellow tail

A small South American monkey with soft fur, a golden mane, and a long tail

monkey bread
  • South African
9.9

A large fruit of the baobab tree with soft edible pulp

3.1

A sweet pull-apart pastry of baked dough pieces coated in butter, sugar and cinnamon

monkey bridge
  • Specialized
9.0

A narrow high platform on a ship that crew use to look out

A small dog like a terrier from Europe with dark rough hair and a short snout with a small beard

monkey jacket
  • Archaic
9.6

A short formal jacket worn by navy officers at dinner

monkey ladder
  • Specialized
9.9

A light narrow ladder on a ship that sailors climb to reach the monkey bridge

monkey man
  • Informal
8.0

A person who behaves playfully and plays small tricks

monkey metal
  • Informal
9.2

A cheap metal mix used to make low-quality jewelry and toys

monkey-bread tree
  • South African
9.9

A large African tree with a very thick trunk that has fruit with a soft inside that people eat

A small European dog like a terrier with rough dark fur and a short furry face

9.0

A large South American tree with spiny branches and edible seeds

mud monkey
  • Slang
9.7

A child who is very dirty after playing outside

green monkey disease
  • Specialized
9.9

A rare severe disease from green monkeys caused by a virus that can infect and kill people

guenon monkey
  • South African
9.9

A small slender African monkey with long back legs, a long tail, and hair around its face

9.9

A small monkey with reddish fur and a long tail that lives in West Africa and moves quickly

A large monkey from Borneo with a long round nose on adult males

A silly phrase people use to say something is confusing or absurd

rug monkey
  • Offensive
9.9

A person with messy hair who looks socially awkward

7.0

A monkey from Africa or Asia with a tail that cannot hold things and nostrils close together on the nose

powder monkey
  • Archaic
9.9

A young person who carried gunpowder across a warship to the cannons

A small South American monkey with long soft fur and a tail that cannot hold things

vervet monkey
  • South African
7.0

A small African monkey with a black face and hands that lives in woods and grassland

9.9

A rude name for an Asian person who acts like a Western person or who acts strangely

How Thoroughly

to sabotage
164 7.1
to tamper
113 4.9
to monkey
  • Informal
11 8.2
touch
335 4.7

Surface Forms

monkey infinitive
monkeyed past
monkeyed past participle
monkeying present participle
monkeys third person singular

Etymology

To monkey with something comes from the idea of a monkey 'messing' with objects, and so it now means to tamper or fiddle with something, often in a careless or secret way.