brass monkeys
Very cold.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“It's brass monkeys outside today.”
“We wanted to go for a walk, but it's brass monkeys out there.”
“The old fisherman pulled his coat tighter, muttering that it was brass monkeys on the quay at dawn.”
disputed origin
From the phrase cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey - supposedly a reference to the brass container for cannon balls on a British man-of-war (but this seems to have been discredited).
- 01
as clever as a cartload of monkeys
Very clever, cunning or mischievous.
- 02
barrel of monkeys
Someone or something very amusing or funny, fun, mischievous, etc.
- 03
bow-legged wi' brass
Wealthy; having lots of money.
- 04
brass ceiling
An unwritten, uncodified barrier to promotion or progression for women in law enforcement or the military.
- 05
brass farthing
Something worthless or of small value.
- 06
brass monkey
Very cold.
- 07
brass neck
Gall, shamelessness, cheek.
- 08
cheeky monkey
An impudent person, usually a child.
Last updated August 10, 2026