Can refer to two main things:
- 1. Silly, mischievous, or playful behavior; fooling around; antics.
- 2. Dishonest, unethical, or questionable activities; trickery; shady dealings.
The context usually clarifies which meaning is intended.
Explanation
Origin
- Evokes the playful, unpredictable, and sometimes deceptive-seeming behavior of monkeys.
- Business here means 'activity' or 'conduct'.
- The term emerged in the 19th century and captures both the lighthearted (mischief) and negative (deceit) connotations associated with monkeys in popular imagination.
Synonyms & Related Expressions
Alternatives
Slang/Informal (Silliness):
- Messing around / Goofing off
- Acting the fool / Playing the fool
- Dicking around (vulgar)
- Shenanigans / Hijinks
Slang/Informal (Dishonesty):
- Shady shit / Sketchy shit (vulgar)
- Funny business
- Something fishy / Sketchy / Shady
- Crooked dealings
Milder/Standard (Silliness):
- Mischief / Playing around / Silliness
Milder/Standard (Dishonesty):
- Suspicious activity / Irregularities
- Potential wrongdoing / Misconduct
- Unethical practices
Situational Appropriateness
- Informal.
- Suitable for describing children's antics or lighthearted mischief among adults.
- Also suitable for expressing suspicion of unethical behavior in informal or semi-formal contexts. Avoid in very formal reports unless quoting someone. Tone is crucial for distinguishing meanings.
Misunderstanding Warnings
- The biggest potential misunderstanding is between the playful/silly meaning and the serious/dishonest meaning. Pay close attention to the context and the speaker's tone.
Examples
- (Silly) The kids were giggling and up to some monkey business in the back seat.
- (Silly) Stop the monkey business and focus on your work!
- (Dishonest) The auditor suspected monkey business when he saw irregularities in the accounts.
- (Dishonest) There's some shady monkey business going on with that contract.
Dialogue
# Silly Context:
Teacher: Alright class, settle down! No more monkey business, it's time for the lesson.
Students: (Giggles subside) Okay, Ms. Evans.
# Dishonest Context:
Detective A: The company's sudden bankruptcy seems suspicious, especially with the CEO disappearing.
Detective B: Yeah, definitely smells like monkey business. Let's dig into their financial records.
Social Media Examples
- Tweet: My cats are chasing each other all over the house again. Typical midnight monkey business. 😹 #cats #catlife
- Facebook Post: Heard rumors of some monkey business involved in the local council's zoning decision. Hope someone investigates. #localgov #corruption?
- Reddit Comment: Warning: Watch out for monkey business with third-party sellers on this site. Stick to official stores if possible. #scam
Response Patterns
- (If accused of silliness) Denial (We weren't doing anything!), sheepish admission (Okay, sorry.), laughter.
- (If accused of dishonesty) Strong denial (There's no monkey business here!), defensiveness, demands for proof.
- (If observing) Agreement (Yeah, looks like monkey business to me.), curiosity (What kind of monkey business?).
Common Follow-up Questions/Actions
After mentioning monkey business:
- (Silly) What were they doing? Action: Telling the kids/people to stop fooling around.
- (Dishonest) What makes you suspect that? Do you have evidence? Action: Investigating the suspected wrongdoing. Reporting concerns.
Conversation Starter
- No.
- Usually a comment on observed behavior or a statement of suspicion.
Intonation
Stress on MONKEY and BUSINESS.
Tone varies significantly:
- Playful or mildly exasperated for silly behavior.
- Serious, suspicious, or accusatory for dishonest behavior.
Generation Differences
- Widely understood across generations. May sound slightly informal or colloquial.
Regional Variations
- Common in most major English-speaking regions (US, UK, Canada, Australia).