spanner
noun
span·ner
| \ ˈspa-nər
\
\
Definition of spanner
2
: a wrench that has a hole, projection, or hook at one or both ends of the head for engaging with a corresponding device on the object that is to be turned
Illustration of spanner
spanner 2
Examples of spanner in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The seizure of the Grace 1 threw a spanner in the works, not least because Britain was prodded into action by American intelligence. — The Economist, "What Britain’s release of an Iranian tanker says about its post-Brexit foreign policy," 22 Aug. 2019 Other new rules limiting the number of new factories in a province mean Tesla’s factory has put a spanner in the works for local manufacturers who were also hoping to set up near one of the country’s most important cities for EV sales. — Echo Huang, Quartz, "China’s breaking up the EV battery monopoly it carefully created," 25 June 2019 But Trump threw spanners into that uncertain transition Britain now faces. — Ciara Nugent, Time, "President Trump Praises U.K.'s Theresa May and Says Brexit 'Would Be Good for the Country'," 4 June 2019 While the third movie was a distinct possibility at one point, the feud between Kim Cattrall and SJP has thrown a major spanner in the works since. — Lucy Wood, Marie Claire, "Sarah Jessica Parker is Bringing Back Carrie Bradshaw for a Mystery Cause With a "Great Brand"," 21 Jan. 2019 Peter Gordon’s glossy restaurant atop Auckland’s Sky Tower, The Sugar Club, offers several options: spanner crab, crayfish linguine, monkfish, and Mount Cook Salmon (something that is carried through to his menus designed for Air New Zealand). — Amy Louise Bailey, Vogue, "The 7 Dishes You Have to Eat in New Zealand," 25 July 2018 But a 2012 paper revisiting the paradox threw yet another spanner into the works. — Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, "Stephen Hawking’s final paper published, tackles famous paradox," 11 Oct. 2018 And Heigl’s character Samantha Wheeler, a powerhouse attorney with cockiness and ambition to match Harvey Specter's, is already throwing a compelling spanner into the show’s familiar dynamics. — Emma Dibdin, Harper's BAZAAR, "Katherine Heigl Talks the Powerful Women of Suits and Aging in Hollywood," 3 Aug. 2018 This has thrown a spanner in the works for many fans as it was expected that Borussia Dortmund talisman Marco Reus would start instead of Draxler this weekend, with Özil expected to slot it behind star striker Timo Werner. — SI.com, "Arsenal Attacker Mesut Ozil Set to Be Dropped by Germany Ahead of World Cup Opener With Mexico," 17 June 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'spanner.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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