monkey, monkie, munkey, munkie

[A corrupt. of O. Ital.monicchio =a monkey; dim in. of mona =an ape, a monkey; Ital. monna; Sp. mona; Port. mona =a she-monkey; Sp. & Port. mono a monkey; Ital. monna is a contraction of madonna lady, mistre .] I. Ordinary Language : 1. Lit.: In the same sense as II. 3. 2. Figuratively: (1) A term applied to a child or young person in real or pretended disapproval. "This is the monkey's own giving out; she is persuaded that I will marry her."- Shakesp .: Othello , iv. 1. (2) A sum of £500: ( Eng , racing slang .) "The Grand Hurdle Handicap, the added money to which is a ' monkey .'"- London Daily Chronicle. (3) A hod. ( Bricklayer's slang.) (4) A padlock. ( Prison slang.) (5) The instrument which drives a rocket. ( Mili tary slang.) II. Technically : 1. Forging : A vertical hammer, consisting of a long bar of iron, running loosely through an eye, several feet above the anvil, and terminating at the foot of a ma of iron, called the ram. The shaft is raised by a chain and drum driven by the engine and has an automatic releasing apparatus, which is regulated to drop the monkey at the required height, say with a range of from two to five feet. The monkey has a horizontal range of about twenty inches, and is made to drop upon the spot required by means of guy-rods in the hands of two workmen. 2. Pile - driving : The weight of a pile or post driver, which is raised by a grapple and chain, and, being detached, is allowed to fall in its guides onto the head of the pile. The weight is attached to the chain by a dog, which is caused to relax its grip by a trigger, or by coming in contact with a stop placed at the required height. 3. Zoology : (1) Sing .: A popular name for any one of the quadrumanous mammals having a well-developed tail, those wanting tails being called apes. (2) A quadrumanous mammal having a tail and callosities, but no cheek pouches, as distinguished from a baboon, which has both, and an ape, which, besides being taille , has neither. The Capuchin Monkey is the genus Cebus; the Diana Monkey, Cercopithecus diana ; the Howling Monkey is the genus Mycetes; the Proboscis Monkey is Semno pithecus larvatus ; the Sacred Monkey, S. entellus [HUNOOMAN]; the Silver-haired Monkey, Lagothrix humboldtii ; and the Spider Monkeys, the genus Ateles. (3) Pl .: The mammalian order Quadruman a (q.v.). The Streps i rhine Monkeys are the Lemurs, the Platy rhine Platy rhine Monkeys are confined to America. and the Catarhine Monkeys are found only in the Old World. (1) Monkey's allowance : Blows instead of alms; more kicks than pennies. (2) To get or have one's monkey up: To get or be in a bad temper; to fly into a pa ion. (3) To suck the monkey : A term used among seamen for drinking rum out of cocoanuts, the milk having been poured out and the liquor substituted. Also, to suck liquor out of a cask by means of a straw introduced through a hole made with a gimlet. "I didn't peach at Barb a does when the men sucked the monkey." - Marryat : Peter Simple , ch. lvii. monkey-block, s . Nautical : 1. A single block strapped to a bridge-piece, which is bolted to the deck or other object. 2. A block nailed on the topsail-yards of some merchantmen, to lead the buntlines through. monkey-board, s . The step at the rear of an omnibus on which the conductor stands.