1.
Drug addiction, as in He'd had a monkey on his back for at least two years. [Slang; first half of 1900s]
2.
A vexing problem or burden, as in This project has proved to be a monkey on my back--there seems to be no end to it. Both usages allude to being unable to shake off the animal from one's back.
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monkey on one's back
American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms:
monkey on one's back |
Related Videos:
monkey on one's back |
Related topics:
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 | American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms. The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. Read more |
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Mentioned in
- monkey
- Lonelyland (2001 Album by Bob Schneider)
- Lonelyland [Bonus Tracks] (2001 Album by Bob Schneider)
- back (Idiom)
- Brass monkey (colloquial expression)
- List of words having different meanings in British and American English