Stop that monkey business and finish your work.
monkey business
idiomActivity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting.
Origin
disputed originFrom monkey + business, probably a calque of Bengali বাঁদরামি (bãdrami, “mischief”, literally “monkey-behaviour”), from বাঁদর (bãdor, “monkey”) + -আমি (-ami, suffix forming nouns referring to the properties, qualities, or states of the words to which it is attached), from the perception that monkeys behave mischievously.
The teacher told the students to stop their monkey business while she was out of the room.
The manager suspected there was some monkey business going on with the company accounts, so he ordered a full investigation.
- 01
bad business
Synonym of bad news (“irritating, troublesome or harmful thing, situation or person”).
- 02
brass monkey
Very cold.
- 03
business as usual
The normal course of an activity, particularly in circumstances that are out of the ordinary.
- 04
business end
The part of an object (chiefly a tool or weapon) that is physically used for its operation, rather than some other part such as the part by which it is held.
- 05
business girl
A female prostitute.
- 06
cheeky monkey
An impudent person, usually a child.
- 07
do one's business
Especially of a house pet: to defecate or urinate.
- 08
get down to business
To commit oneself to a task or activity that is employment-related or that requires serious effort or concentration.