brass monkeys
Bitterly cold weather
Brass monkeys appears in the British expression cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey, describing extreme cold.
The phrase is often shortened to brass monkeys or brass monkey weather.
Folk etymology connects it to cannonball holders on ships, but this is almost certainly invented.
The expression is mildly vulgar but widely used in British English.
Extremely cold
- frigidExtremely and intensely cold
- icyFrozen or unfriendly
- glacialOf frozen rivers
- polarOf extreme latitudes
arctic · subzero · bitter · biting · nippy · chilly · frostbite · hypothermia
Freezing of body tissue
- chilblainsCold-induced skin inflammation
- thermalsWarm air columns
- woolensGarments of sheep fiber
- overcoatLong warm outer garment
flannel · fireplace · hearth · icicle · snowfall · blizzard · hibernation · windchill
freezing
Extremely cold
polar · arctic · subzero · bitter · biting · nippy · chilly · frostbite · hypothermia · shivering
frostbite
Freezing of body tissue
- chilblainsCold-induced skin inflammation
- thermalsWarm air columns
- woolensGarments of sheep fiber
overcoat · flannel · fireplace · hearth · icicle · snowfall · blizzard · hibernation · windchill · layering
blimey
British surprise interjection
knackered · chuffed · blighter · bloomin · dodgy · naff · narked · colloquial · vulgar · euphemism
cannon balls
Spherical artillery munitions
deck · ship · fo'c'sle · rigging · sailor · maritime · fleet · man-o-war · ordnance · contraction
- Cold Expressionsfreezing cold, bitter cold, bone-chilling, cold snap, cold spell
- weather wordssunny, rainy, cloudy, windy, drizzle