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monkey's paw. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
monkey's paw, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
monkey's paw in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
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English
Etymology
From the 1902 short story “The Monkey’s Paw” by W. W. Jacobs, in which a mummified monkey’s paw is enchanted to grant a family three wishes, but with terrible consequences for them.
Noun
monkey's paw
- (idiomatic, usually attributive) A situation in which a hope or desire has been fulfilled at significant cost.
2020 April 2, Brian Feldman, “Welcome (Back) to the Appointment Internet”, in New York:For many people, the extended period of quarantine and working from home necessitated by the coronavirus outbreak has turned into a monkey’s paw situation — a theoretical wish come true that has significant downsides.
- Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see monkey, paw.
See also