monkey business

Definitions

1. Activity that is mischievous, stupid, or time-wasting.
   idiomatic, informal, uncountable
2. Activity that is morally questionable or even mildly illegal.
   idiomatic, informal, uncountable

Equivalents

Examples

“Stop⟳ all this monkey business and do your homework!”

“I’m going to take⟳ off the cuffs, Slim, and off you, Jerry. But don’t try⟳ any monkey business. When Peters answers the door, you tell⟳ him everything’s O. K., and that you’re the committee, see⟳? Once the door’s open⟳, we’ll do the rest⟳.”

“I'm looking for monkey business / Just playing around / I'm here on monkey business / And look⟳ what I found”

“She wondered what sort⟳ of monkey business her neighbour was up to, sneaking out of his house at 1:00 am.”

“If you ever hear⟳ a man talking about his duty as a citizen, by the Living Jingo dont trust⟳ him. … He's up to some kind of monkey business nine times out of ten. You dont know⟳ what a relief it is to me that you and Joe are comfortably settled in life.”

CEFR level