What does "spanner" mean?
A hand tool for adjusting nuts and bolts.
Spanner
/ˈspæn.ɚ/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Uncommon ·Advanced level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A hand tool for adjusting nuts and bolts.
- Grammar: spanner is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: wrench, adjustable wrench, disruption, hurdle.
- Useful contrasts: aid, assistance, facilitation.
- Usage evidence: We've ended up a spanner short of a toolbox.
How to use "spanner"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "spanner" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "spanner" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "spanner" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "spanner" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "spanner" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "wrench" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "spanner", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A hand tool for adjusting nuts and bolts. Commonwealth, Ireland, UK
"Pass me that spanner, Jake; there's just one more bolt to screw in."
- 2 a hand tool that is used to hold or twist a nut or bolt wordnet
- 3 A hand tool for adjusting nuts and bolts.; Any of certain types of such a tool that have a pin or hook to engage the driven object. Canada, Commonwealth, Ireland, UK, US
"The groove in this toolholder is what the spanner grabs onto when you are changing the tool."
- 4 One who, or that which, spans. rare
"The scheme of the spanner of continents and the desire of the little husbandman hoarding for his loved ones..."
- 5 A (usually sparse) graph whose shortest path distances approximate those in a dense graph or other metric space.
Show 4 more definitions
- 6 A hand tool shaped like a small crank handle, for winding the spring of a wheel lock on a musket.
"The spanner for spanning or winding up the spring of the wheel lock."
- 7 A device in early steam engines for moving the valves for the alternate admission and shutting off of the steam. obsolete
- 8 A problem, dilemma or obstacle; something unexpected or troublesome (in the phrase spanner in the works) Ireland, UK
"Halfway through the production of Macbeth, the director found that the stage was smaller than he expected. This really threw a spanner in the works."
- 9 A stupid or unintelligent person; one prone to making mistakes, especially in language. Ireland, UK, derogatory, mildly
"You spanner, Rodney! I wanted some time, not a bunch of thyme!"
Verb
- 1 To use a spanner; to fix with a spanner
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"We've ended up a spanner short of a toolbox."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "spanner"?
Common synonyms include: wrench, adjustable wrench, disruption, hurdle, idiot, monkey wrench.
How do you use "spanner" in a sentence?
We've ended up a spanner short of a toolbox.
How do you pronounce "spanner"?
Pronounced /ˈspæn.ɚ/.
Etymology
From span + -er.