throw\ a\ monkey\ wrench

throw\ a\ monkey\ wrench
• throw a monkey wrench
• throw a wrench
v. phr. informal
To cause something that is going smoothly to stop.

The game was going smoothly until you threw a monkey wrench into the works by fussing about the rules.

The Michigan tacklers threw a wrench into the Wisconsin team's offense.

He hoped to see the class plan fail and looked for a chance to throw a wrench in the machinery.


Словарь американских идиом. — СПб., Изд-во "Лань". . 1997.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • throw a monkey wrench into the works — (USA) If you throw a monkey wrench into the works, you ensure that something fails …   The small dictionary of idiomes

  • throw a monkey wrench in something — throw a ˈmonkey wrench in/into sth idiom (also throw a ˈwrench in/into sth) (NAmE, informal) to do sth to spoil sb s plans Main entry: ↑monkey wr …   Useful english dictionary

  • throw a monkey wrench into something — throw a ˈmonkey wrench in/into sth idiom (also throw a ˈwrench in/into sth) (NAmE, informal) to do sth to spoil sb s plans Main entry: ↑monkey wr …   Useful english dictionary

  • throw a monkey wrench into something — throw a monkey wrench into (something) to cause something to fail. We keep trying to get together, but her crazy schedule keeps throwing a monkey wrench into our plans …   New idioms dictionary

  • throw a monkey wrench into — (something) to cause something to fail. We keep trying to get together, but her crazy schedule keeps throwing a monkey wrench into our plans …   New idioms dictionary

  • (throw) a (monkey) wrench 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 monkey wrench — or[throw a wrench] {v. phr.}, {informal} To cause something that is going smoothly to stop. * /The game was going smoothly until you threw a monkey wrench into the works by fussing about the rules./ * /The Michigan tacklers threw a wrench into… …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • throw a monkey wrench — or[throw a wrench] {v. phr.}, {informal} To cause something that is going smoothly to stop. * /The game was going smoothly until you threw a monkey wrench into the works by fussing about the rules./ * /The Michigan tacklers threw a wrench into… …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • throw a monkey wrench into the works — wreck a project, monkeywrenching, piss in the pickles    The report that coffee causes cancer threw a monkey wrench into our plans to import coffee …   English idioms

  • throw a monkey wrench into — cause something that is going smoothly to stop He threw a monkey wrench into our plans to go to the lake for the summer …   Idioms and examples

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