spanner
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++LDOCE 5++span·ner /ˈspænə $ -ər/ noun [countable] British English 1. TZa metal tool that fits over a nut, used for turning the nut to make it tight or to undo it 扳手，扳子 SYN American English wrench →5 see picture at 见图 tool12. put/throw a spanner in the works informalSPOIL to unexpectedly do something that prevents a plan or process from succeeding 打乱〔计划〕，破坏 〔过程〕
Examples from the Corpus
spanner• He could never see an engine without laying a spanner on it.• He didn't fancy the idea of being treated with a spanner if falling ill.• To his surprise, he found the hexagonal spanner on the ledge in the garage where it was meant to be.• I reached into the door pocket and pulled out the heavy wheel nut spanner.• We felt this was an improvement over the rival system of inserting a tommy bar through the collet and using one spanner.• Often this gives just enough friction for the spanners to grip.• Try smearing the spanner jaws with light oil, then dipping them in fine sand.• The spanner in these works is the fact that government is not a profit-making enterprise.Origin spanner (1600-1700) Germanspan·ner nounChineseSyllable
over that a fits metal used Corpus a for tool nut,
spanner
span‧ner /ˈspænə $ -ər/
noun [countable] British English
SYN wrench American English
2. put/throw a spanner in the works informal to unexpectedly do something that prevents a plan or process from succeeding
span‧ner /ˈspænə $ -ər/
noun [countable] British English Date: 1600-1700
Language: German
1. a metal tool that fits over a nut, used for turning the nut to make it tight or to undo it Language: German
SYN wrench American English
2. put/throw a spanner in the works informal to unexpectedly do something that prevents a plan or process from succeeding
