What is the monkey and the organ grinder?
[British] someone who is closely associated with a powerful person and acts on their behalf, but has no real power themselves.
Why did organ grinders have a monkey?
The grinder would often have as a companion a white-headed capuchin monkey, tethered to a string, to do tricks and attract attention, as well as the important task of collecting money from passers-by.
What does the saying organ grinder meaning?
The person who is in charge, rather than a lackey or representative.
What does speak to the organ grinder not the monkey mean?
“Talk to the organ grinder, not the monkey” is one of my favorite expressions and I often use it in sales training courses. Its meaning is “talk to the decision-maker, don’t waste your time with someone who just works there”.
What does monkey suit mean slang?
uniform
The definition of a monkey suit is a slang expression that is defined as a uniform or a man’s dress suit. An example of a monkey suit is an outfit that a person must wear to work every day, much like the suits worn by the monkeys owned by organ-grinders.
What is another name for the barrel organ?
roller organ
A barrel organ (also called roller organ or crank organ) is a French mechanical musical instrument consisting of bellows and one or more ranks of pipes housed in a case, usually of wood, and often highly decorated.
Does monkey have a heart?
awake monkeys and under anesthesia, the impression has been formed that normal heart rate in monkeys is much (2 or 3 times) higher than that in man. These data indicate that heart rate in monkeys varies within a very wide range – from 120 to 250 beats/min and even more (table I).
Are green monkey grinders good?
The Baboon series herb grinder from Green Monkey Grinders packs an incredible punch considering its small size. The review team was surprised and impressed by the weight and power of this grinder, which feels heavy in the hand like something you’d expect from a compact piece of machinery.
Where does the saying monkey and organ grinder come from?
Note: In former times, organ grinders were street entertainers who played barrel organs. Sometimes they had a monkey that performed to the music.
How would you play a barrel organ?
A rod is connected to the rear of each key. The other end of the rod is a metal pin which operates a valve within the wind chest. When the instrument is played (by turning the crank), offsets on the crank shaft cause bellows to open and close to produce pressurized air.
Where does monkey and organ grinder come from?
Street organs started out as the musical accompanyment for puppet theaters in Italy. But eventually, itinerant Italian street musicians took them to other parts of Europe and to England, and they eventually started using monkeys who would scamper around and collect change from the audience.
Why do they say monkey suit?
slang A full tuxedo or a uniform, especially one that is meant to appear formal. Supposedly a reference to an organ grinder’s monkey, which was often dressed in some kind of suit.