a roadblock that prevents an activity from succeeding
to deliberately sabotage an activity
The lack of power has thrown a spanner in the works regarding our MS-PowerPoint presentation.
His inability to procure funding for his trial has really thrown a spanner in the works.
Let’s make sure that we get this done before Suzy comes along and changes her mind again. That will really throw a spanner in the works.
Jack’s inability to show up for practise is really throwing a spanner in the works.
There is no origin for this idiom
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definition
Common phrase that has a specific meaning.