What does the British term spanner mean?

Definition of spanner

What does spanner mean in British slang?

(Britain, Ireland, mildly derogatory) A stupid or unintelligent person; one prone to making mistakes, especially in language. You spanner, Rodney!

Why do the British call wrenches spanners?

'Wrench' is derived from Middle English wrench, from Old English wrenċ, from Proto-Germanic *wrankiz ("a turning, twisting"). First used in 1790. 'Spanner' came into use in the 1630s, referring to the tool for winding the spring of a wheel-lock firearm.

What is the American word for spanner?

A spanner is a type of adjustable wrench. Outside of North America, spanner is just another word for “wrench.” If Americans want to ruin something, they “throw a wrench into it.” British people “throw a spanner in the works.”

Where do they say spanner?

The 'throw a spanner in the works' variation is the one most commonly used. This phrase appears to be something of a linguistic rarity - a commonly used English phrase that was coined in New Zealand.

What is the meaning to throw up the sponge?

Give up, acknowledge defeat, as in I can't move this rock; I'm throwing in the sponge, or Bill decided to throw in the towel and resign from his job. This idiom comes from boxing, where formerly a fighter (or his second) conceded defeat by throwing the sponge or towel used to wipe his face into the ring. [ c. 1900]

What does cool as cucumber mean?

Definition of cool as a cucumber

Calm and composed, self-possessed, as in Despite the mishap Margaret was cool as a cucumber. This idiom may be based on the fact that in hot weather the inside of cucumbers remains cooler than the air. [c. 1600] For a synonym, see cool, calm, and collected.

What is a spanner in Australia?

In Australia and the rest of the “spanner” countries, the term “wrench” is used for tools with an adjustable profile size such as the pipe wrench, tap wrench, and monkey wrench – tools that are used to turn non-fastening implements.

Why do they call a pipe wrench a monkey wrench?

Charles Moncky, a Baltimore mechanic, invented the monkey wrench around 1858. Moncky's wrench was named using a purposeful misspelling of his name.

What is wretch?

1 : a miserable person : one who is profoundly unhappy or in great misfortune. 2 : a base, despicable, or vile person. Synonyms Example Sentences Learn More About wretch.

What is a hot spanner?

An immersion heater spanner (sometimes referred to as an immersion heater wrench) is a large, ring headed spanner designed specifically to fit around the immersion heater element in a hot water cylinder.

What is a tube spanner?

Box (or 'tubular') spanners are made from metal tubing and often have two profiles, one at each end of the tube. They cover the whole of the fastener head and make contact with them on all flat sides and corners. The profile of a box spanner is very specific and cannot be used on other sizes or shapes.

What is a torch in British English?

British English: torch /tɔːtʃ/ NOUN. A torch is a small, battery-powered electric light which you carry in your hand. They carried torches to light their way. American English: flashlight /ˈflæʃlaɪt/

Why do we prefer a spanner of longer arm as compared to the spanner of shorter arm?

Solution : The torque applied on the nut by the spanner is equal to the force multiplied by the perpendicular distance from the axis of rotation. <br> A spanner with longer arm provides more torque compared to a spanner with shorter arm. Hence longer arm spanner is preferred.

What does throw a spanner in the works mean?

Definition of put/throw a spanner in the works

informal. : to cause something to not go as planned We were ready to start the project when the bank threw a spanner in the works by denying the loan.

What is a spud wrench?

Spud wrenches have a tapered spike at the handle end that's used to align bolt holes when installing automotive components, beams, girders, or pipe fittings. The opposite end comes with a wrench to rotate fasteners for installation or removal.

Are spanners British?

slang A person who is foolish, careless, or incompetent; a tool. ("Spanner" is a British English term for "wrench.") Primarily heard in Ireland.

Why is a crescent wrench called a crescent wrench?

Although the term "crescent wrench" is thrown around as though it were a type of tool, crescent wrenches got their name from the Crescent Tool Company in the early 1900s. It was first created by inventor Karl Peterson, although a wrench by the Swedish company BAHCO may have inspired Peterson's design.

Did Crescent invent the adjustable wrench?

In 1907, a Swedish immigrant and inventor Karl Peterson founded the Crescent Tool Company. Soon after that, he introduced America's first open-end adjustable wrench, a revolutionary concept that replaced an entire set of dedicated-size wrenches. The Crescent® adjustable wrench was extremely successful.

What does crack a book mean idiom?

Crack-a-book definition

(idiomatic) To open up one's books, especially in order to study. You had better crack the books if you want to have any chance of graduating this year.

What is the meaning of the idiomatic expression to bury the hatchet?

To agree to end a quarrel: “Jerry and Cindy had been avoiding each other since the divorce, but I saw them together this morning, so they must have buried the hatchet.”

What is as black as?

Also, black as coal or pitch . Totally black; also, very dark. For example, The well was black as night, or She had eyes that were black as coal. These similes have survived while others-black as ink, a raven, thunder, hell, the devil, my hat, the minister's coat, the ace of spades-are seldom if ever heard today.

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