View synonyms for

monkeyshine

[ muhng-kee-shahyn ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

Usually monkeyshines. a frivolous or mischievous prank; monkey business.

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Word History and Origins

Origin of monkeyshine¹

First recorded in 1820–30; monkey + shine ¹ (in the sense of “a foolish prank”)

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

“�� kind of monkeyshine is this?” he growled.

From

“Are you tired of being led astray? Run amok? Highjinks? Monkeyshine? Hornswaggle? Skullduggery?”

From

But as a popular-entertainment monkeyshine on the making of musicals, and as the decidedly unspiritual autobiography of a fledgling librettist, the show bumps and bounces along cheerfully enough.

From Time Magazine Archive

"I did cut a monkeyshine or two," admitted the young man.

From

Always up to some monkeyshine.

From

monkey's fist monkey suit

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