throw a monkey wrench in the works



throw a monkey wrench in the works

Fig. to cause problems for someone's plans. I don't want to throw a monkey wrench in the works, but have you checked your plans with a lawyer? When John suddenly refused to help us, he really threw a monkey wrench in the works.
See also: monkey, throw, work, wrench

Common Names:

NameGenderPronouncedUsage
Amice-Medieval English
AilillAL-yil Irish, Irish Mythology
LemuelLEM-yoo-əl (English)Biblical, Mormon, Biblical Hebrew
BarrettBAR-ətEnglish
Mckaylamə-KAY-ləEnglish (Modern)
Mudiwa-Southern African, Shona