Idiom
throw a spanner in the works
Meaning
To introduce a problem, dilemma or obstacle, something unexpected or troublesome.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Examples
“The sudden rain threw a spanner in the works for our picnic.”
“We were ready to launch the website, but a last-minute server error threw a spanner in the works.”
“The unexpected resignation of the lead architect threw a spanner in the works, forcing the entire construction project to be delayed indefinitely.”
Examples
simple
“The sudden rain threw a spanner in the works for our picnic.”
contextual
“We were ready to launch the website, but a last-minute server error threw a spanner in the works.”
complex
“The unexpected resignation of the lead architect threw a spanner in the works, forcing the entire construction project to be delayed indefinitely.”
Key words
Related idioms
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