noun
plural -keys
[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 Brit :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
not give a monkey's
Brit informal :to not care at all about something.
verb
-keys; -keyed; -keying
monkey around
or Brit monkey about
[phrasal verb] informal
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)
US