spanner
/ˈspanə
/noun chiefly British
A tool with a shaped opening or jaws for gripping and turning a nut or bolt.He collects some other tools, a hammer, nails, spanners, screwdrivers and a few more saw-blades, and slots them into the zippered pouches on his backpack....
- I know one particular man who actually got a rowing boat and went across in his dinner hour and welded spanners, wedges and hammers to the bulk head and rowed back again.
- Unless you have pretty particular interests you're probably not going to have much use for a magnifying glass, a spanner or a miniature jig-saw.
Phrases
spanner in the works
Origin
Late 18th century: from German spannen 'draw tight' + -er1.
The word spanner is based on German spannen ‘draw tight’.