bleed the monkey

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Meaning · English

Synonym of suck the monkey (“to surreptitiously drink alcohol from a cask through an inserted tube”).

Register: slang

Where it’s used: Used American English

Examples

He invented the 'monkey fist' — a knot which gives weight to a heaving line; the union plate he called a 'monkey face' and, in times of merrymaking, he frequently 'bled the monkey' to get his grog.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “bleed the monkey” mean?

Synonym of suck the monkey (“to surreptitiously drink alcohol from a cask through an inserted tube”).

Is “bleed the monkey” formal or informal?

bleed the monkey is generally slang.