# brass monkeys

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/brass-monkeys
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

Very cold.

## Examples

- 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.

## 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). (disputed)

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.