monkey wrench en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- (Australia) audio
Etymology
Already in use, and not unfamiliar among mechanics, by 1832; see discussion and references at Monkey wrench § Etymology and history.
Meanings
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A wrench (spanner) with an adjustable jaw.
Did you ever stop to think whether or not you knew how a monkey wrench should be used?
1903, Shop Talk, volumes 1-3, page 21:With a monkey wrench on the hexagonal part of the stuffing box unscrew the stuffing box from the body of the faucet.
1948, George M. Warren, Simple Plumbing Repairs in the Home: Farmers' Bulletin, number 1460, page 2:There were two monkey wrenches for that, sitting in a bucket. Lisa held one wrench and I applied the other and in a few minutes we had removed the motor head and set it on the ground.
2010, A. M. Murray, The Secret of the Serpent Mound, unnumbered page:
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(figuratively) An unexpected or troublesome problem, obstacle or dilemma.
Professor Miller's careful research has thrown a monkey-wrench into the Einstein wheel, although it has far from discouraged the enthusiastic exponents of Einsteinism.
1926, New Outlook, volume 142, page 58:Meanwhile the killer, either knowing for sure or by instinct that the police have incorrectly profiled him, throws monkey wrenches into the task force investigation by changing his modus operandi (MO) for no other reason than to trick the police.
2003, Robert D. Keppel, William J. Birnes, The Psychology of Serial Killer Investigations: The Grisly Business Unit, page 130:Girard had programmed some electronic "monkey wrenches" into the control panel that with the stroke of a key, would render the device inoperable.
2009, Ken Reamy, The Balaam Surrogate, page 210:It has been suggested that myocilin missense mutations that cause severe disease are monkey wrenches, causing disease through actively causing a problem rather than through a lack of the gene product or function.
2005, Julia E. Richards, R. Scott Hawley, Catherine A. Mori, The Human Genome: A User's Guide, page 159:Therefore, even if the author is a celebrity, something may throw a monkey wrench in an event's success. It is here where I must mention the monkey wrench that dramatically hurt events I scheduled during the period of 1996–2001.
2007, Carol Hoenig, The Author's Guide to Planning Book Events, page 59:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| monkey-wrench | alternative | lexicographic | |
| monkey wrenches | Number=Plur | lexicographic | |
| monkeywrench | alternative | lexicographic |
Deriveds
throw a monkey wrench into the works · monkeywrenching · left-handed monkey wrench · throw a monkey wrench in the works · monkey-wrencher · monkey wrench in the works
Synonyms
adjustable spanner (wrench with adjustable jaw) · gas grips · pipe wrench (wrench with adjustable jaw) · bobbejaan spanner (wrench with adjustable jaw)
Translations (57)
hu franciakulcs (adjustable wrench) · de Rollgabelschlüssel (adjustable wrench) · es problema (problem) · it chiave giratubi (adjustable wrench) · ja モンキーレンチ (adjustable wrench) · tl liyabe-inglesa (adjustable wrench) · pl klucz francuski (adjustable wrench) · cs klíč nastavitelný (adjustable wrench) · cmn 猴子扳手 (adjustable wrench) · it chiave inglese (adjustable wrench) · sh francuski ključ (adjustable wrench) · sv skiftnyckel (adjustable wrench) · gl chave inglesa (adjustable wrench) · nl probleem (problem) · mk француски клуч (adjustable wrench) · yi מאַלפּע נעבעכדיק (adjustable wrench) · ko 몽키렌치 (adjustable wrench) · bg фре́нски ключ (adjustable wrench) · fr clé anglaise (adjustable wrench) · ko 조정식 스패너 (adjustable wrench) · el γαλλικό κλειδί (adjustable wrench) · sl vijačni ključ (adjustable wrench) · pt turquesa (adjustable wrench) · be развадны́ ключ (adjustable wrench) · pt chave de grifo (adjustable wrench) · tr İngiliz anahtarı (adjustable wrench) · he מַפְתֵּחַ שְׁוֶדִי \ מפתח שוודי (adjustable wrench) · de Problem (problem) · sk francúzsky kľúč (adjustable wrench) · uk розвідни́й ключ (adjustable wrench) · fi jakoavain (adjustable wrench) · cs francouzský klíč (adjustable wrench) · hu állítható csavarkulcs (adjustable wrench) · ar مِفْتَاح إِنْجْلِيزِيّ (adjustable wrench) · da skiftenøgle (adjustable wrench) · es obstaculo (problem) · nl een spaak in het wiel steken (problem) · ja 自在スパナ (adjustable wrench) · ro cheie universală (adjustable wrench) · de Engländer (adjustable wrench) · tl liyabe-ingglesa (adjustable wrench) · pdt Homaschlätel (adjustable wrench) · ru разводно́й ключ (adjustable wrench) · nl Engelse sleutel (adjustable wrench) · ca clau anglesa (adjustable wrench) · ro cheie franceză (adjustable wrench) · it chiave serratubi (adjustable wrench) · sl francoz (adjustable wrench) · es llave inglesa (adjustable wrench) · nb skiftenøkkel (adjustable wrench) · sq majmun i mjerë (adjustable wrench) · pl klucz nastawny (adjustable wrench) · vi mỏ lết (adjustable wrench) · fr grain de sable dans l’engrenage (problem) · sh француски кључ (adjustable wrench) · ja モンキースパナ (adjustable wrench) · ko 몽키스패너 (adjustable wrench)