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  2. idiom UK (US throw a (monkey) wrench in the works) Add to word list. to do something that prevents a plan or activity from succeeding: The funding for the project was withdrawn so that really threw a spanner in the works. SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases. Preventing and impeding.

    • Simplified

      PUT/THROW A SPANNER IN THE WORKS translate: 从中捣乱;破坏计划. Learn...

    • Putative

      PUTATIVE definition: 1. generally thought to be or to exist,...

  3. To disrupt, foil, or cause problems to a plan, activity, or project. Primarily heard in UK. We had everything in line for the party, but having the caterer cancel on us at the last minute really threw a spanner in the works! It'll really throw a spanner into the works if the board decides not to increase our funding for this project.

  4. Oct 24, 2023 · : to cause something to not go as planned. We were ready to start the project when the bank threw a spanner in the works by denying the loan. Examples of put/throw a spanner in the works in a Sentence.

  5. Throw (or put) a spanner in the works’ refers to the calamitous effects of throwing a spanner into the gears and pistons of an engine. The expression comes in a variety of forms – ‘put/throw a spanner in the works/wheels/gears’. There is even a ‘throw a monkey wrench in the works’ variant in the USA.

  6. The idiom “throw a spanner in the works” is commonly used to describe situations where an unexpected problem arises, causing disruptions or delays. The origins of this phrase can be traced back to early 20th century England when mechanical engineering was rapidly advancing.

  7. The American version is to throw a wrench in the works. Wrench is simply the American name for a spanner. To put a spanner in “the works” causes it to grind to a halt.

  8. Nov 12, 2022 · Throw a monkey-wrench in the works. A spanner in the works is an event or action that interferes with a process. A spanner (British English) or monkey-wrench (American English) is a tool used to work on machines—to tighten bolts. Works can mean machines, factories, or other complex systems.