as clever as a cartload of monkeys
Very clever, cunning or mischievous.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“That child is as clever as a cartload of monkeys.”
“You should watch your wallet around him because he is as clever as a cartload of monkeys.”
“Despite his youthful appearance, the young apprentice proved to be as clever as a cartload of monkeys when he solved the complex puzzle in seconds.”
- 01
barrel of monkeys
Someone or something very amusing or funny, fun, mischievous, etc.
- 02
box clever
To act wisely.
- 03
brass monkey
Very cold.
- 04
brass monkeys
Very cold.
- 05
cheeky monkey
An impudent person, usually a child.
- 06
get one's monkey up
To make someone angry, annoyed or irritated.
- 07
grease monkey
A mechanic, often with the specific connotation of an automobile mechanic.
- 08
like butter on a bald monkey
Very smooth.
Last updated August 10, 2026