What is the origin of the saying cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey?
The popular explanation is that warships in the 18th century stored their shot on brass racks called monkeys. In the cold weather the brass contracted causing the shot to fall onto the deck hence the expression. However, although we cannot offer an alternative explanation, we do not think this theory is tenable. Most of the round shot was carried in racks or ‘garlands’ which were either wood or rope. No nautical dictionaries give any reference to the brass monkey although monkey was a term used for all sorts of other things. The use of brass is also questionable since it was a fairly expensive commodity and there seems to be no reason for its use when wood sufficed.
