English Reference
noun · adjective

ape

n. · adj.
US /ˈeɪp/ UK /ˈeɪp/ ape UK spelling aped, apes

  1. 01 A2 Elementary

    n.a large animal that looks like a monkey but has no tail, such as a gorilla or chimpanzee.

    n.any tail-less primate of the superfamily Hominoidea, excluding humans in general-service contexts.

    Simple

    The children watched the apes swinging from the branches at the zoo.

    In context

    Biologists study the social structures of great apes to better understand the evolutionary roots of human cooperation.

    primatehominoid
  2. 02 B2 Upper Intermediate Informal

    n.a person who is rude, loud, or acts without thinking.

    n.a derogatory term for an individual perceived as unintelligent, uncivilized, or physically clumsy.

    Simple

    Don't be such a big ape and watch where you are walking.

    In context

    He was often dismissed as a mindless ape by his peers, despite his surprising aptitude for complex mathematics.

  3. 03 B2 Upper Intermediate SlangInformal

    adj.to become very angry, excited, or crazy.

    adj.used in the idiomatic phrase 'to go ape', meaning to become extremely emotional or lose self-control.

    Simple

    The fans went ape when the singer finally walked onto the stage.

    In context

    The manager went absolutely ape when he discovered the accounting error had cost the firm thousands of dollars.

This entry
Level A2 · Elementary
Frequency Frequent
Updated