monkey

monkey — noun

1. a lively furry animal found in warm forests that climbs well using its long tail

1.名詞A2
釋義

a lively furry animal found in warm forests that climbs well using its long tail

例句

The zookeeper tossed a handful of nuts to the old monkey in the enclosure.

collocation: feed/to toss food to a monkey

Diya watched a small brown monkey leap from one treetop to another at the reserve.

同義詞
  • primate

    broader scientific category that includes monkeys, apes, lemurs, and humans

  • ape

    larger, tailless primate; often confused with monkey in casual speech

文法句型

a/the monkey

plural: monkeys

常見錯誤

❌I saw a monkey at the zoo — it had no tail so it must be a monkey.
✅That animal had no tail, so it was probably an ape, not a monkey.
💡Monkeys usually have tails; apes (gorillas, chimpanzees, orangutans) do not.
❌The monkey is a mammal that belongs to the primate group.' (correct but overly scientific for everyday use)
✅Look at the monkeys playing in that tree!
💡In casual conversation, keep it simple.

2. a lively child who tends to get into trouble in a playful way, or an adult actin

2.名詞B1
釋義

a lively child who tends to get into trouble in a playful way, or an adult acting the same

例句

Nellie, you little monkey — stop pulling the dog's tail right now!

used as a playful address: you little monkey

Joshua's grandmother called him a cheeky monkey after he hid her reading glasses.

collocation: cheeky monkey

同義詞
  • rascal

    milder and slightly old-fashioned

  • troublemaker

    more negative; lacks the affectionate tone of 'monkey'

反義詞
  • angel

    used playfully for a well-behaved child

文法句型

[adjective] monkey

you monkey (as address)

用法筆記

Usually affectionate rather than truly angry. Adding 'little' or 'cheeky' softens the criticism and indicates playful affection.

常見錯誤

❌My son is a monkey' (sounds like a factual statement about species).
✅My son is such a little monkey
💡he hid my keys again.' — Add 'little' or other playful modifier to make the affectionate meaning clear.

3. five hundred pounds in British money, used mainly in informal speech and traditi

3.名詞C1
釋義

five hundred pounds in British money, used mainly in informal speech and traditionally in betting or financial contexts

例句

Christopher paid two monkeys for the vintage guitar at the shop in Soho.

two monkeys = £1,000

Walid needed a monkey to cover the deposit on the flat near the canal.

同義詞

文法句型

a monkey

two/three/four monkeys

用法筆記

Part of a set of Cockney rhyming slang / historical money-slang terms: a 'monkey' = £500, a 'pony' = £25, a 'score' = £20. Not widely understood outside the UK.

常見錯誤

❌I paid a monkey for this jacket in New York.' (unlikely to be understood in the US).
✅I paid a monkey for this jacket at a London market.
💡Reserve this slang for British contexts.

monkey — verb