Word story – monkey business

monkey business (noun) – mischievous or deceitful behaviour
Definition – Oxford English Dictionary

Значение идиомы monkey business

Идиома monkey business имеет два значения: 

1. пустая трата времени или усилий; валяние дурака; шутливая выходка; глупое поведение; 
2. участие в махинациях, темных делах; мошенничество.

Происхождение идиомы monkey business

Согласно Oxford English Dictionary идиома monkey business создана по аналогии с фразой на санскрите vānara-karman, где vānara – monkey, а karman – action, work, employment.
Идиома появилась в английском языке в 30-х годах 19 века. Один из самых первых примеров употребления monkey business был найден в письме британского парламентария Томаса Перроне Томпсона. Своим текстом Томпсон подтвердил версию, что идиома monkey business является калькой с индийской фразы.

They would have committed themselves to no such “monkey business” as the Indians call it, before mankind; they would have seen the Muse of History in the shape of a printer’s devil, dipping a broad sheet into the abysses of a steam-press, and consigning them to “everlasting redemption” in the memory of all that is to come.
Thomas Perronet Thompson,The Constitutional and Public Ledger (London), 24 April 1837

Синонимы идиомы monkey business

mischief, 
misbehaviour, 
mischievousness, 
devilry, 
devilment,
dishonesty, 
trickery, 
misconduct, 
misdemeanour, 
shenanigans, 
funny business, 
hanky-panky,
goings-on,
monkey tricks (British),
jiggery-pokery (British),
monkeyshines (American)

Примеры употребления идиомы monkey business

 
The monkey business allegedly occurred Saturday after the 20-year-old computer science student awoke at 11 a.m. to discover that his smartphone was gone, reports the BBC.
Ben Cost, The New York Post, 15 September 2020

Restaurants and companies including Gold Star Chili, Wardway Fuels, Java Jackets Coffee House and Ivory House all were among those getting into the spirit of monkey business on Facebook.
Chris Mayhew, The Enquirer, 10 April 2021

Authorities in Cincinnati spent Thursday caught up in monkey business.
Cliff Pinckard, cleveland, 9 April 2021