monkey wrench
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monkey wrench
Where it comes from
Already in use, and not unfamiliar among mechanics, by 1832; see discussion and references at Monkey wrench § Etymology and history.
noun monkey wrenches · monkeywrench · monkey-wrench
-
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?
Similar: gas grips, adjustable spanner, pipe wrench, bobbejaan spanner
- 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.
verb monkey wrenches · monkey wrenching · monkey wrenched · monkeywrench · monkey-wrench
- To apply a monkey wrench, e.g. to tighten or loosen nuts.
- To introduce problems, to create unexpected trouble, to sabotage. I think it’s possible that [US Vice President J.D.] Vance didn’t intend to monkey wrench [the meeting with US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky].
Translations
Every language
noun adjustable wrench
| Español | llave inglesa |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 몽키렌치 mongkirenchi, 몽키스패너 mongkiseupaeneo, 조정식 스패너 jojeongsik seupaeneo |
| 日本語 | モンキーレンチ monkī renchi, モンキースパナ monkī supana, 自在スパナ jizai supanna |
| 中文 | 猴子扳手 hóuzi bānshǒu |
| Português | turquesa, chave de grifo |
| Français | clé anglaise |
| Deutsch | Rollgabelschlüssel, Engländer |
| Italiano | chiave inglese, chiave giratubi, chiave serratubi |
| Ελληνικά | γαλλικό κλειδί gallikó kleidí |
| Română | cheie franceză, cheie universală |
| Русский | разводно́й ключ razvodnój ključ |
| Tiếng Việt | mỏ lết |
| العربية | مِفْتَاح إِنْجْلِيزِيّ miftāḥ ʔinglīziyy |
| עברית | מַפְתֵּחַ שְׁוֶדִי \ מפתח שוודי mafte'ákh shvédi |
noun problem
| Español | problema, obstaculo |
|---|---|
| Français | grain de sable dans l’engrenage |
| Deutsch | Problem |
Talk about this word "monkey wrench." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/monkey%20wrench. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. monkey wrench. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/monkey%20wrench "monkey wrench." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/monkey%20wrench.Cite this
@misc{monkey_wrench_2026,
title = {monkey wrench},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/monkey%20wrench},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
