- a steel hand tool with a handle carrying jaws or a hole of particular shape designed to grip a nut or bolt head
- Brit informal a source of impediment or annoyance (esp in the phrase throw a spanner in the works)
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
span•ner /ˈspænɚ/USA pronunciation
n. [countable]
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- a person or thing that spans.
- Buildinga wrench having a curved head with a hook or pin at one end for engaging notches or holes in collars, etc.
- British Terms[Chiefly Brit.]a wrench, esp. one with fixed jaws.
span•ner
(span′ər),USA pronunciation n.
- a person or thing that spans.
- BuildingAlso called span′ner wrench′. a wrench having a curved head with a hook or pin at one end for engaging notches or holes in collars, certain kinds of nuts, etc. Cf. pin wrench.
- British Terms[Chiefly Brit.]a wrench, esp. one with fixed jaws.
- span1 + -er1 1630–40
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
spanner /ˈspænə/ n
'spanner' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):