- throw a spanner in the works
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Half way through the production of Macbeth, the director found that the stage was smaller than he expected. This really threw a spanner in the works.
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throw a spanner in the works
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throw a spanner in the works — To cause confusion or difficulty, upset plans • • • Main Entry: ↑spanner * * * throw/put/a spanner in the works british informal phrase to do something that suddenly stops a process or plan Her criticisms really thre … Useful english dictionary
throw a spanner in the works — (UK) If you throw a spanner in the works, you cause a problem that stops or slows progress on something that was going well … The small dictionary of idiomes
(throw) a spanner in the works — (throw) a ˈspanner in the works idiom (BrE) (NAmE (throw) a (ˈmonkey) ˈwrench in the works) (to cause) a delay or problem with sth that sb is planning or doing Main entry: ↑ … Useful english dictionary
throw a spanner in the works — put/throw a spanner in the works British & Australian, American to do something that prevents a plan or activity from succeeding. We were hoping to get the project started in June but the funding was withdrawn so that rather threw a spanner in… … New idioms dictionary
throw a spanner in the works — If someone or something throws a spanner (or a wrench) in the works,they do something that causes problems and prevents the success of a plan or event. The two companies were keen to sign the agreement before anything happened to throw a… … English Idioms & idiomatic expressions
put/throw a spanner in the works — informal : 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. • • • Main Entry: ↑spanner put/throw a spanner in the works see ↑spanner • • • Main Entry: ↑work … Useful english dictionary
throw a spanner in the works — stop the gears, cause activity to stop … English contemporary dictionary
throw a wrench into the works — see ↑wrench, 1 • • • Main Entry: ↑work throw a wrench into the works US informal : to damage or change (something) in a way that ruins it or prevents it from working properly We were going to renew our lease, but the landlord threw a wrench into… … Useful english dictionary
spanner in the works — (UK) If someone puts or throws a spanner in the works, they ruin a plan. In American English, wrench is used instead of spanner . (Dorking School Dictionary) *** If someone or something throws a spanner (or a wrench) in the works,they… … English Idioms & idiomatic expressions
Throw a spanner in the works — This is an expression that means to wreck something … The American's guide to speaking British
