monkey around
Meaning: To play like a monkey, i.e., climb on or examine things with curiosity.
Language: English
Literally: (Already vivid in English)
Category: Animals
Origin: Monkey around emphasizes curiosity or the climbing aspect of play whereas horse around emphasizes the physical nature of play and clown around means to act silly. Fool around is the most general of these and could substitute for the other three.
More idioms — Animals
- monkey business — Suspicious activity (sentence 1) or mischievous activity (sentence 2).
- there's more than one way to skin a cat — There are different ways to accomplish the same thing; there are different possible solut…
- pass the buck — To redirect the blame or responsibility for something (usually a decision) to someone els…
- put the cart before the horse — To reverse the necessary or expected order of two things; to put a later step first.
- sacred cow — An idea or thing that cannot be altered.
- something to crow about — An exceptional accomplishment; an achievement that is worth bragging about.
More English idioms
- take the bull by the horns — To take action in a difficult or unpleasant situation.
- talk turkey — To talk seriously, usually about a business deal.
- white elephant — An item that no one wants to buy or that is difficult to get rid of; a costly but useless…
- wild-goose chase — A useless or difficult search.
- wolf in sheep's clothing — Someone who presents himself as a harmless person, but who has intentions that are not ho…
- apple of one's eye — A person or thing that is precious or loved above all else.
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