have a monk on
British slang, particularly from the North of England, meaning to be in a bad mood, sulking, or carrying a visible grudge.
Definitions
British slang, particularly from the North of England, meaning to be in a bad mood, sulking, or carrying a visible grudge. If someone has a monk on, they're grumpy, uncommunicative, and radiating negativity — the kind of mood where everything is annoying and you don't want to talk to anyone. The phrase paints a vivid image of brooding silence. It's affectionately used to call out someone's obvious strop without making a big drama of it.
Don't ask Tom about the football — he's had a monk on ever since his team got relegated last weekend.
Comments
(UK, slang) To be sullen or bad-tempered.
Comments
Have a better definition?
Add your own interpretation of "have a monk on".
🗺️About Regional & Other slang
Regional slang from around the English-speaking world — British, Australian, Irish, Caribbean, Nigerian, Filipino, AAVE, and the hyphenated-English dialects that make the internet sound local.
See all Regional & Other slang on Slangora.
Tags
Other words near "have a monk on" (H)
Browse all slang words starting with H.
Related terms
People also read
Semantically related
- get a sad on61%
Get a sad on is a breezy British slang phrase meaning to become sad, mopey, or emotionally low — to slip into a funk. It follows the same construction as 'get a strop on' or 'get a move on', turning the emotion into something you put on like a piece of clothing. While it's a bit dated, the phrase has a charm that keeps it alive in British speech, and it's particularly useful for describing that mild, sulky sadness that isn't quite a breakdown but definitely needs tea and biscuits.
- get one's monkey up61%
(idiomatic, slang) To make someone angry, annoyed or irritated.
- monke60%
(internet slang, uncountable) A primitive way of living, humorously viewed as ideal.
- butt monkey58%
(North America, slang, often, humorous) An annoying and irksome person.