gum up the works

English

Etymology

From gum up + the works.

Verb

gum up the works (third-person singular simple present gums up the works, present participle gumming up the works, simple past and past participle gummed up the works)

1. (informal) Synonym of throw a spanner in the works

Further reading

• “gum up the works”, in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1996–present.