to throw a spanner in the works
01
to deliberately make it very difficult for someone to do what they are planned to
Dialect
British
British
![to [throw|put] a spanner in the works definition and meaning](https://cdn.langeek.co/photo/46477/original/?type=jpeg "to [throw|put] a spanner in the works definition and meaning")
例
We were ready to start the project when the bank threw a spanner in the works by denying the loan.
