brass monkey 

While the exact origin of the term 'brass monkey' is unkown, it's 200-plus year usage history indicates its original meaning is related to the Kelvin Spheres that sit on either side of a ship's binnacle. The balls, which are iron, help offset magnetic shifts so the compass inside the binnacle remains pointed toward magnetic north. The two balls are traditionally mounted on brass arms, which were called 'monkeys' by sailors in the 18th and 19th centuries.

The phrase 'cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey' didn't rear its head into common usage until the 20th century. Original uses referred to 'freezing the tail of a brass monkey,' or 'melting the nose off a brass monkey,' and can be found in 19th century sailing texts like Herman Melville's "Omoo" ('...it was 'ot enough to melt the nose h'off a brass monkey....').

Again, while the exact meaning is unkown, the term has beeen definitively rejected by the Department of the Navy, the Oxford English Dictionary and other noted etymologists as describing a pyramid of cannonballs on a brass tray. Not only were they never used on board ship during the age of sail as they would have rolled everywhere with the rocking of the ship, but the balls and tray would expand and contract at nearly the same rate due to cold and heat, and therefore the stack would never have fallen apart due temperature change.

'Cold enough to freeze the tail off a brass monkey.'

brass monkey by Sailor Clay May 18, 2009

brass monkey 

(n) 1. an alcoholic beverage consisting of vodka, rum (usually dark), and orange juice. Essentially a screwdriver with rum. Named for the brass-like color the dark rum and OJ create when mixed.
2. an alcoholic beverage consisting of malt liquor (usually 8 Ball or St. Ides) and Sunny Delight.
3. a 40 oz bottle of booze
4. a dance one can only do when drunk out of his mind.
5. a penis; a dick or schlong
6. An expression used to mean cold or chilly weather.

1. "Monkey tastes def when you pour it on ice
Come on y'all it's time to get nice" - The Beastie Boys, "Brass Monkey"
2. "Cause I drink it anytime - and anyplace
When it's time to get ill - I pour it on my face" - The Beastie Boys
3. I'm going to get some o' dat brass monkey down on Crenshaw, J ...you wanna come?
4. "I got gold, I got funky
I got the new dance they call the Brass Monkey"- "Slow Ride", Beastie Boys
5. Damn, she was all up on my brass monkey.
6. It's cold enough to freeze a brass monkey's balls OR It's colder than a brass monkey's ass.

brass monkey by Jam Master J March 10, 2006

Froze the balls of a brass monkey 

This phrase is often used when it's bloody cold.

The origin of this phrase stems from the early explorers when traveling at sea in the icey cold. A brass monkey was used to hold the cannon balls in a pyramid shape, when it became freezing cold the holder ( brass monkey)would contract and the cannon balls would fall off.

This morning I went outside to take the bins out front, it was that cold it would of froze the balls of a brass monkey .

Froze the balls of a brass monkey by Shaggenshano July 12, 2017

brass monkey 

Alcoholic beverage consisting of Rum, Vodka,and Orange Juice.

This is the recipe of the drink that inspired the beastie boys to write Brass Monkey. It's a popular drink to have when your in high school. And I mean "IN" school. Teachers and faculty can't detect the smell of alcohol over the orange juice.

brass monkey by Jayson Lewellyn December 20, 2003

freeze the balls off a brass monkey 

Statement about the temperature being very cold.

Background:
A brass monkey is a naval term for the holder that holds the cannon balls. It was made of brass and the cannon balls were not, so when it got cold enough, the two metals would contract by different amounts and the cannon balls would no longer fit properly in the holder and thus fall off.

Person 1: Holy crap its freezing in here.
Person 2: Yeah, its cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey.

freeze the balls off a brass monkey by PlaceHolder August 11, 2004

freeze the balls off a brass monkey 

A reference to extreme cold. According to the United States Navy Historical Center, this is a legend of the sea without historical justification. The center has researched this because of the questions it gets and says the term “brass monkey” and a vulgar reference to the effect of cold on the monkey’s extremities, appears to have originated in the book “Before the Mast” by C.A. Abbey published in 1857. It was said that it was so cold that it would “freeze the tail off a brass monkey.”. The Navy says there is no evidence that the phrase had anything to do with ships or ships with cannon balls.

The first taxi man George encountered in Brooklyn said, "It is cold fit to freeze the balls off a brass monkey."

freeze the balls off a brass monkey by Vigfus April 27, 2016

Brass Monkey 

Brass monkey is the perfect hangover drink. It is proven to cure any kinds of morning afters. Basically it consists of 0.25 part of Orange juice added to 0.75 part of beer. Any kind you like, seriously at this point, who cares? Beer and OJ can also be consummed in a good ammount. Be careful, in a case of tequila hangover, wich might not be that bad, brass monkeys will feel very normal and WILL get you drunk in the morning. Just take that in consideration.

Example No1
-Bro!
-Bro..
-Brass monkey?
-BRO!!
-Bro

Example No2 (most common one)
-Still got beers?
-yep a couples.
-Got orange juice?
-Positive
-Should we mix them together?
-YEAH!! Let's call that a Brass Monkey!!
-It's on.

Brass Monkey by Nothingtodo01 February 23, 2012