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- A monkey on your back means that you’re burdened by a problem, obligation, or some kind of addiction. Think of it as that pesky little critter who won’t let go, no matter how much you try. Its origin comes from the image of a person carrying an unshakeable amount of anger around, but it’s evolved in usage today.
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What Is the Meaning of Monkey on My Back? To have a monkey on your back means you are grappling with a significant problem or a severe addiction that remains unresolved and is difficult to shake off. Think of it as an enduring burden, much like a persistent monkey clinging tenaciously to your shoulder.
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To have a monkey on your (or one’s) back means to have a problem or burden that is hard to solve and which lasts for a long time; a vexing emotional problem that makes one’s life difficult; a longstanding worry or anxiety. Monkey on one’s back often refers to a drug addiction, including alcohol addiction. Monkey On Your Back Meaning ...
The meaning of A MONKEY ON SOMEONE'S BACK is a problem that someone cannot easily get rid of or solve : a problem or situation that makes someone unhappy and that lasts for a long time. How to use a monkey on someone's back in a sentence.
Aug 4, 2015 · Monkey, a habit, as in 'I have a monkey on my back.' Usually used when one is sick from lack of drugs. I believe that this slang for opiate addiction was a natural evolution of the phrase from its history of referring to an evil and subjugating force acting on someone beyond their control.
- Based on a first glance, it's looking like the original expression is "have a monkey on the roof," meaning a mortgage, dating back to the 1800s. La...
- I think the phrase predates references to a mortgage as a " monkey on the roof ." The earliest references to piggybacking monkeys involve the backs...
- The original reference was to addiction, specifically to heroin, and there are several songs that use it in this way. These days people use it to r...
- There's a much more ancient tale involving a monkey on somebody else's back, namely the fable by Aesop (who lived circa 620–564 BCE) that is known...
- SEE NO EVIL, HEAR NO EVIL, SPEAK NO EVIL. ancient stuff. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_wise_monkeys in short, the monkeys kept a record of th...
- The American Heros channel on TV stated that President U.S. Grant as an 11 yr. old boy rode a bucking horse as a challenge in a circus. No one else...
- I found an instance going back to 1809. Though it is not used figuratively like it is in The Parterre of Poetry and Historical Romance from 1836...
- Hunters in Mozambique throw monkeys towards the wild hogs, the monkeys hop on and slow the hogs as they run. And a video demonstrating how it's do...
a/the ˌmonkey on somebody’s ˈback. 1 a difficult problem that somebody cannot solve or get rid of: The accusations of fraud remain a monkey on her back.2 ( slang) the state of being unable to stop using drugs. See also: back, monkey, on. Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017.
1 a difficult problem that somebody cannot solve or get rid of: The accusations of fraud remain a monkey on her back. 2 ( slang) the state of being unable to stop using drugs. See also: back, monkey, on. Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017.
1 day ago · HAVE A MONKEY ON YOUR BACK definition: to have a serious problem that is making your life difficult or unpleasant | Meaning, pronunciation, translations and examples.
