What does brass monkey weather mean?

UK informal. extremely cold weather. SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases. Cold.

What does the expression brass monkey mean?

Used to describe cold weather, this saying derives from the traditional Navy phrase "cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey". This references the brass structure or 'monkey' where cannon balls were stacked. 'Mad as a hatter'

Where does the saying cold as brass monkeys come from?

The expression: "It is cold enough to freeze the balls of a brass monkey" comes from the practice of putting iron cannon balls on a dimpled brass plate on the deck of a war-ship. When very cold the brass contracted sufficiently to cause the iron balls to fall out.

How do you use brass monkey weather in a sentence?

The phrase 'Brass Monkey Weather' refers to very cold weather that is extremely out of the ordinary; cold enough to freeze the tail, nose and ears of a brass monkey. Example of use: “According to Al Roker next week's weather is going to be so cold, that it'll be real brass monkey weather.”

What does the term freeze the balls off a brass monkey mean?

What's the meaning of the phrase 'Cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey'? If it's said to be 'cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey' it is very cold indeed. This expression, which is normally used in relation to the weather is also known by the derivative phrase - brass monkey weather.

? Idioms "Brass Monkey Weather" ESL Class 816 British Pronunciation

How were cannonballs stored on ships?

The Royal Navy records show that cannonballs were not stored in pyramids on ship's decks but instead in planks, and they were stored below deck when not in battle to keep them from rusting and jamming the cannons.

Why is it called monkey Island on a ship?

Because the sailors had to climb as the monkeys do, this topmost place was termed as Monkey Island.

Do they still sell brass monkey?

The Brass Monkey is a cocktail made with dark rum, vodka and orange juice, sold as a premixed cocktail in the 1970's and 80's. It was sold by the Heublein Company, which later dissolved in 1998.

What were pirate cannonballs made of?

Cannons of the era were essentially long tubes made of brass, bronze or iron closed at one end. A small hole called a touch hole was drilled through the wall of the barrel near the closed end.

What did pirates call pistols?

They were Flintlock pistol (most common mobile gun of the pirate age), Multi-Barreled pistol (useful because higher firing rate) and Volley pistols (it fired all of its barrels at the same time).

Why is it called grapeshot?

In artillery, a grapeshot is a type of ammunition that consists of a collection of smaller-caliber round shots packed tightly in a canvas bag and separated from the gunpowder charge by a metal wadding, rather than being a single solid projectile. When assembled, the shot resembled a cluster of grapes, hence the name.

Why did pirates use cutlasses?

Pirates used these weapons for intimidation as much as for combat, often needing no more than to grip their hilts to induce a crew to surrender, or beating captives with the flat of the blade to force their compliance or responsiveness to interrogation.

When was brass monkey invented?

'Brass monkey,' Beastie Boys

Who cares what the drink actually is, this song is still as much of a jam today as when it came out in 1986.

Who invented the brass monkey drink?

While some people incorrectly think the drink was inspired by the song, it's actually the other way around. There are two types of Brass Monkeys – a cocktail style which is depicted here and which this recipe is intended to make and a premix which was made by Heublein Spirits back in the 1970s.

What is dark rum?

The term “dark rum” doesn't have a legal definition, but it generally refers to rum that is dark brown in appearance due to aging or the addition of molasses or caramel coloring.

What is a brass monkey on a sailing ship?

In the days when gulf wars had more to do with sailing ships than TV coverage, cannon balls were stacked on the decks in pyramids. The pyramids were held in place by a brass frame around the base, called a "monkey". When it got cold, the brass monkey contracted, and the cannon balls rolled off around the ship's deck.

Why do ships have monkeys?

Powder monkeys were usually boys or young teens, selected for the job for their speed and height: they were short and could move more easily in the limited space between decks and would also be hidden behind the ship's gunwale, keeping them from being shot by enemy ships' sharpshooters.

What is monkey ladder?

Definition of monkey ladder

: a light ship's ladder (as to the monkey bridge)