spannerspan‧ner /ˈspænə $ -ər/ noun [countable] British English 
Word Origin
Word OriginWORD ORIGINspanner
ExamplesOrigin:
1600-1700 GermanEXAMPLES FROM THE CORPUS
Thesaurus- 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.
- I reached into the door pocket and pulled out the heavy wheel nut spanner.
- Often this gives just enough friction for the spanners to grip.
- The spanner in these works is the fact that government is not a profit-making enterprise.
- To his surprise, he found the hexagonal spanner on the ledge in the garage where it was meant to be.
- Try smearing the spanner jaws with light oil, then dipping them in fine sand.
- We felt this was an improvement over the rival system of inserting a tommy bar through the collet and using one spanner.
Longman Language Activatorto spoil someone's work or plans► spoil
Collocations · Don't let me spoil your plans.· This scandal could spoil the Senator's chances of becoming President.· We were going to get married, but then war broke out and spoiled everything.spoil something for somebody · Starting a family so soon would definitely spoil her career prospects for her.
► ruin to completely spoil what someone has been trying to do: · Surely you don't want to ruin all our good work, do you?· Serious in-fighting ruined the Conservatives' chances of winning the election.
► mess up informal to spoil something important or something that has been carefully planned: mess up something: · The travel agents messed up the arrangements and there was no room for us at the hotel.mess something up: · We secretly organized a party for her, but then Bill messed everything up by telling her about it.
► undermine to spoil something that has taken a long time to develop: · The kidnappings undermined several months of delicate peace negotiations.· The US was accused of undermining international efforts to combat global warming.
► screw up informal to completely spoil something such as a plan, especially by doing something stupid: · Someone screwed up and what was supposed to be a confidential email was copies to everyone in the company.screw something up: · I can't trust you to do anything right can I? You always manage to screw things up.screw up something: · There was no way he was going to allow her to screw up his plans.
► sabotage to deliberately spoil someone's plans or arrangements because you do not want them to succeed: · Her father sabotaged her acting ambitions by refusing to let her go to drama school.· The attack is being seen as a deliberate attempt to sabotage the peace talks.
► throw a spanner in the works British /throw a monkey wrench in/into something American informal to unexpectedly do something that prevents a plan or process from continuing or succeeding: · "He won't lend us the money after all.'' "Well, that's really thrown a spanner in the works, hasn't it?''· The President's veto threw a wrench into a program that had already been approved by a big majority of the Congress.
► pour cold water on to spoil someone's plan, suggestion, or attitude towards something, by saying something that makes it seem less attractive or less likely to succeed: · Her mother had poured cold water on the whole idea of Eva going to Africa.· The committee's final report, just published, pours cold water on government proposals for helping the unemployed.
WORD SETS► Toolsadze, nounair pump, nounanvil, nounattachment, nounauger, nounawl, nounaxe, nounbargepole, nounbattleaxe, nounbevel, nounbillhook, nounbit, nounblade, nounboat hook, nounbox end wrench, nounbradawl, nounbranding iron, nounBunsen burner, nounbuzz saw, nouncalculator, nouncallipers, nouncard, nounchainsaw, nounchisel, nouncircular saw, nounclaw, nouncraft knife, nouncrowbar, nouncutter, noundrill, noundropper, noundynamo, nounendoscope, nounfile, nounfile, verbgenerator, noungimlet, noungizmo, noungrappling iron, noungrindstone, nounhacksaw, nounhammer, nounhandsaw, nounharrow, nounhatchet, nounhigh-pressure, adjectiveinstrument, nounjack, nounjackhammer, nounjemmy, nounjigsaw, nounjimmy, nounknitting needle, nounlast, nounlevel, nounlever, nounmachete, nounmallet, nounmattock, nounmonkey wrench, nounnutcracker, nounpenknife, nounperiscope, nounpick, nounpickaxe, nounpinking shears, nounplane, nounplaner, nounpliers, nounplough, nounplumb line, nounplunger, nounpneumatic drill, nounpower drill, nounpower tool, nounprod, nounpulley, nounpunch, nounram, nounrasp, nounretool, verbriddle, nounrose, nounruler, nounsander, nounsandpaper, nounsaw, nounscissors, nounscraper, nounscrewdriver, nounshaft, nounshank, nounsickle, nounsieve, nounsledgehammer, nounsoldering iron, nounspanner, nounspirit level, nounspray gun, nounsquare, nounstamp, nounstaple gun, nounstripper, nountape, nountape measure, nountheodolite, nounthermometer, nounthermostat, nountomahawk, nountongs, nountool, nountool kit, nountriangle, nountrowel, nounT-square, nountwo-handed, adjectivewand, nounwedge, nounwhet, verbwhetstone, nounwire cutters, nounworkbench, nounyoke, noun
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADJECTIVE► adjustable
1a metal tool that fits over a nut, used for turning the nut to make it tight or to undo it SYN wrench American English2put/throw a spanner in the works informal to unexpectedly do something that prevents a plan or process from succeeding· You will need adjustable spanners, open-ended spanners and gripping wrenches.· Poor old Richard, torpedoed three times, and then finished 011, near as a toucher, with an adjustable spanner.· Bosun's Sail ties, pliers, adjustable spanner, screwdriver, shock cords.· Full instructions are included, and all you need to add are an adjustable spanner, cross-point screwdriver and penknife.· For this reason, the easiest way to undo and do up nuts is with adjustable spanners.
VERB► use· We felt this was an improvement over the rival system of inserting a tommy bar through the collet and using one spanner.· In the kitchen, drain at the draincock Use a bath/basin spanner to undo the nut on the tap connector.· Don't use jointing compound unless recommended Tighten the compression joints using a spanner at either end.