monkey wrench

Etymology
Already in use, and not unfamiliar among mechanics, by 1832; see discussion and references at .

Noun

 * 1) A wrench (spanner) with an adjustable jaw.
 * 2)  An unexpected or troublesome problem, obstacle or dilemma.
 * 1)  An unexpected or troublesome problem, obstacle or dilemma.
 * 1)  An unexpected or troublesome problem, obstacle or dilemma.
 * 1)  An unexpected or troublesome problem, obstacle or dilemma.

Usage notes
Some writers distinguish on functional grounds between 'traditional' adjustable wrenches designed for turning nuts (and which have flat-sided jaws) and others, sometimes called or, designed for gripping and turning pipes (which may have curved, serrated jaws). The term monkey wrench may refer to either.

Synonyms

 * , pipe wrench ,
 * , pipe wrench ,

Translations

 * Albanian: majmun i mjerë
 * Arabic: مِفْتَاح إِنْجْلِيزِيّ
 * Belarusian: развадны́ ключ
 * Bulgarian: фре́нски ключ
 * Chinese:
 * Mandarin: 猴子扳手
 * Czech: klíč nastavitelný, francouzský klíč
 * Danish: skiftenøgle
 * Dutch:
 * Finnish:
 * French:
 * Galician: chave inglesa
 * German: ,
 * Greek:
 * Hebrew:
 * Italian:, chiave giratubi, chiave serratubi
 * Japanese:, , 自在スパナ
 * Korean: 몽키렌치, 몽키스패너, 조정식 스패너
 * Macedonian: француски клуч
 * Norwegian:
 * Bokmål:
 * Plautdietsch: Homaschlätel
 * Polish: klucz nastawny,
 * Portuguese:, chave de grifo
 * Romanian: ,
 * Russian: разводно́й ключ
 * Serbo-Croatian:
 * Cyrillic: француски кључ
 * Roman: francuski ključ
 * Slovak: francúzsky kľúč
 * Slovene: vijačni ključ,
 * Spanish: llave inglesa
 * Swedish:
 * Tagalog: liyabe-ingglesa, liyabe-inglesa
 * Turkish:
 * Ukrainian: розвідни́й ключ
 * Vietnamese:
 * Yiddish: מאַלפּע נעבעכדיק


 * Dutch: ,
 * French:
 * German:
 * Spanish:, obstaculo