brass monkeys

brass monkeys

Extremely cold, usually regarding the weather. Taken from the semi-vulgar phrase, "cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey," or its derivative, "brass monkey weather." Primarily heard in UK. Cor, it's brass monkeys out there tonight!See also: brass, monkey

ˌbrass ˈmonkeys

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ˌbrass ˈmonkey weather

(British English, slang) if you say that it is brass monkeys or brass monkey weather, you mean that it is very cold weather: Wear a hat — it’s brass monkeys out there!The full expression is ‘cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey’, although this is not often used. It may refer to a brass rack called a monkey which was used to store cannonballs. When it was very cold, the brass contracted (= got smaller) and the balls fell off.See also: brass, monkey