monkey in the woodpile

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English

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Noun

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monkey in the woodpile (plural monkeys in the woodpile)

  1. (euphemistic) Synonym of nigger in the woodpile
    • 1965, United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Armed Services. Preparedness Investigating Subcommittee, Proposal to Realign the Army National Guard and the Army Reserve Forces (page 60)
      The monkey in the woodpile here is the 2.75 rocket, a very costly item, which didn't even enter into these other dollar projections at all but for which we are spending in these 2 years alone $ 400 million, just that one item.