put a spoke in (one's) 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. It will really put a spoke in our wheel if the board decides not to increase our funding for this project. You would think the rise of cheap electric cars would put a spoke in Big Oil's wheel, but they actually seem to be embracing the change.

See also: put, spoke, wheel

put a spoke in someone's wheel

mainly BRITISH

If you put a spoke in someone's wheel, you deliberately do something which spoils their plans. She was just jealous of your relationship with Pippa and couldn't resist putting a spoke in your wheel. Note: Cartwheels used to be made of solid wood, with holes in them through which a wooden bar or `spoke' could be pushed in order to make the cart slow down or stop.

See also: put, spoke, wheel

Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012

put a spoke in someone's wheel

prevent someone from carrying out a plan. British

It is not clear why a spoke , a normal component of many wheels, should have such a negative effect. It has been suggested that spoke here is a mistranslation of the Dutch word spaak , meaning ‘a bar’ or ‘a stave’, which is found in the identical Dutch idiom.

See also: put, spoke, wheel

put a ˈspoke in somebody’s wheel

(British English) make it difficult for somebody to do something or to carry out their plans: If the management try to cut our pay, we can put a spoke in their wheel by going on strike. Spoke may be an incorrect translation from Dutch of spaak meaning ‘bar’ or ‘stick’.

See also: put, spoke, wheel

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