To interfere; to experiment, usually in a foolish way.
1886. There must be no monkeying with the issue.—Chicago Advance, Sept. 9. (N.E.D.)
1888. Preventing inquisitive visitors from monkeying with the machinery.—Texas Siftings, June 30 (Farmer).
1890. An ex-policeman in San Francisco who had monkeyed with that style of man, as he supposed, learning of the situation, volunteered to make the arrest, and was tendered the job.—Haskins, ‘Argonauts of California,’ p. 282.
