throw a spanner in the works (to frustrate or ruin (a plan, system etc.)); throw a spanner in the works (Whatever we undertook, she always threw a spanner in the works); put grit in the bearings (Anglophile); throw a monkey-wrench in the machinery (Anglophile); throw grit in the bearings (Anglophile); throw a little grit in the bearings (Anglophile); put a little grit in the bearings (Anglophile); throw a spanner into the machinery (e.g. Ireland has thrown a spanner deep into the EU's machinery ybelov); put a spanner in the works (Lyuba Prikhodko); put the spanner in the works (bigmaxus); put a spoke in wheel; throw a wrench in the works (Taras); throw a monkey wrench into the works; put a spoke in someone's wheel; throw a monkey wrench in the works (Taras); put grit in the machine; grit

Игорь Миг

hinder

idiom.

stick a wrench in the works (Американский вариант выражения to throw a spanner in the works. MikeMirgorodskiy); ram a stick in the spokes (Whenever I read BC news any more I imagine someone riding a bike and ramming a stick in their own spokes and flying over the handle bars onto their own face. (nationalpost.com) ART Vancouver); throw obstacles in one's path (ART Vancouver); put sticks in the gears (of sth., sb. • "... Maybe it's because the Westwood council makes development an expensive and slow pain in the ass? The council will always be able to put sticks in the gears of development if the province doesn't have the balls to step in." (Reddit) ART Vancouver); poke sticks into spokes (Vadim Rouminsky); put a spoke in the wheel (To disrupt, foil, or cause problems to one's plan, activity, or project. • I had everything in line for the party, but having the caterer cancel on me at the last minute really put a spoke in my wheel. КГА); throw a monkey wrench into something; put a spoke in one's wheel; put spokes in one's wheel; road-block (Fox News, USA Alex_Odeychuk)

Makarov.

put a spoke in someone's wheel; put grit in the machine; throw a spanner into the works; gum up the works; throw a wrench in the works

proverb

put a spoke in somebody's wheel; put a spoke in someone's wheel; queer somebody's pitch

proverb, disappr.

put a spoke in wheel (кому)

slang

dutch; jack someone around (Баян)

вставлять кому-либо палки в колёса

gen.

put a spoke in one's wheel; put grit in the machine; put a spoke in someone's wheel

Gruzovik, inf.