Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

give a monkey's

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.58 in modern English

Syllables: give a -mon-key's
IPA

25

Scrabble Score

12

Letters

3

Syllables

11

Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

To care; to have an interest or concern.

British usage; Informal

Example Sentences

"He knows what he can do with his calendars. I don't give a monkey's. I'm leaving. I've got another job."
"I couldn't give a monkey's. What I am interested in is the things that drive the big numbers."
"Though a huge majority of the population may have continued not to give a monkey's for Derrida, Lacan, or Foucault themselves […]"
"A friend living in France reports that the French don't give a monkey's about unpasteurized dairy products (cheese, etc.) but that they are completely paranoid about le toxoplasmosis."

Etymology

Possibly a euphemistic ellipsis of “to give a monkey's toss”, “to give a monkey's shit”, "to give a monkey's fart", or “to give a monkey's arse”; compare give a rat's arse or give a rat's ass.

Usage

British usage
Informal

Inflected Forms

gives a monkey's (present, singular) giving a monkey's (participle, present) gave a monkey's (past) given a monkey's (participle, past)

Synonyms

becare bother care concern oneself heed mind reck trouble oneself worry

Questions

What does give a monkey's mean?: To care; to have an interest or concern.
Where does give a monkey's come from?: Possibly a euphemistic ellipsis of “to give a monkey's toss”, “to give a monkey's shit”, "to give a monkey's fart", or “to give a monkey's arse”; compare give a rat's arse or give a rat's ass.

How to pronounce give a monkey's

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