monkey-wrench

monkey wrench

noun
1.
Also called, especially British, adjustable spanner. a wrench having an adjustable jaw permitting it to grasp nuts or the like of different sizes.
2.
something that interferes with functioning; obstacle: He threw a monkey wrench into our plans.

Origin:
1855–60

00:10

00:09

00:08

00:07

00:06

00:05

00:04

00:03

00:02

00:01

Monkey-wrench is one of our favorite verbs.
So is absquatulate. Does it mean:
to flee; abscond:
to expurgate (a written work) by removing or modifying passages considered vulgar or objectionable.
Dictionary.com Unabridged

mon·key-wrench

[muhng-kee-rench]
verb (used with object)
1.
to ruin (plans, a schedule, etc.) unavoidably or, sometimes, deliberately: The storm monkey-wrenched our plans for a picnic.
verb (used without object)
2.
to prevent, delay, or sabotage industrialization or development of wilderness areas, especially through vandalism.
mon·key-wrench·er, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
Cite This Source Link To monkey-wrench
WordNet
monkey-wrench

noun
adjustable wrench that has one fixed and one adjustable jaw 
WordNet® 3.0, © 2006 by Princeton University.
Cite This Source
Dictionary.com, LLC. Copyright © 2012. All rights reserved.
  • Please Login or Sign Up to use the Recent Searches feature
FAVORITES
RECENT