(UK) If someone puts or throws a spanner in the works, they ruin a plan. In American English, 'wrench' is used instead of 'spanner'.
a spanner in the works
Something that disrupts, foils, or causes problems to a plan, activity, or project. Primarily heard in UK. We had aggregate in band for the party, but accepting the caterer abolish on us at the aftermost minute absolutely threw a spanner in the works!It'll absolutely put a spanner in the works if the lath decides not to access our allotment for this project.Learn more: spanner, work
a spanner in the works
an event, person, or affair that prevents the bland or acknowledged accomplishing of a plan; a check or impediment. A variant, begin chiefly in North American English, is a monkey bend in the works , a monkey wrench actuality a spanner or bend with adjustable jaws: to throw a spanner (or a monkey wrench ) into the works is to advisedly bones someone's affairs or activities. In his 1974 atypical The Monkey Bend Gang, Edward Abbey acclimated this as a allegory for analytical automated sabotage, and monkey-wrenching is now a chatty appellation for such activity. 1997Spectator Pretty able-bodied all the newspapers…are now adversarial in tone, conceiving their basal purpose as throwing spanners in the works about as a amount of principle. Learn more: spanner, workLearn more:
An Spanner in the works idiom dictionary is a great resource for writers, students, and anyone looking to expand their vocabulary. It contains a list of words with similar meanings with Spanner in the works, allowing users to choose the best word for their specific context.
유사한 단어 사전, 다른 단어, 동의어, 숙어 관용구 Spanner in the works