ape (āp)
n.

1. 1. Any of various large, tailless Old World primates of the family Pongidae, including the chimpanzee, gorilla, gibbon, and orangutan.
   2. A monkey.
2. A mimic or imitator.
3. Informal. A clumsy or boorish person.

tr.v., aped, ap·ing, apes.
To mimic slavishly but often with an absurd result. See synonyms at imitate.

idiom:

go ape Informal.

1. To become wildly excited or enthusiastic: went ape at the party; goes ape over Thai cuisine.

[Middle English, from Old English apa.]

aper ap'er n.

---

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

---