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THE IDIOM COLLECTION LEARN & PRACTISE

Put a spoke in someone’s wheel

Understand the meaning. See it in context. Make it yours.

01 / UNDERSTAND

Meaning in plain English

To make it difficult for someone to carry out their plan.

02 / SEE IT IN CONTEXT

The expression in a sentence

  1. The unexpected booking restriction put a spoke in our wheel.

03 / CHECK YOUR UNDERSTANDING

Quick idiom quiz

Try the question without looking back, then write a sentence of your own. You can retry as often as you like.

Can you recall the expression?

Which expression from this lesson matches this meaning?

To make it difficult for someone to carry out their plan.
Show the answer

Put a spoke in someone’s wheel — To make it difficult for someone to carry out their plan.

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Make it yours

Write one sentence using “Put a spoke in someone’s wheel” about your own life.

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Does your sentence match this meaning?

To make it difficult for someone to carry out their plan.

Compare: The unexpected booking restriction put a spoke in our wheel.

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More ways to understand and use it

When to use it

Use it informally when a person or development obstructs a plan. It can sound critical if you accuse someone of doing it deliberately.

More examples in context

  • I do not want to put a spoke in your wheel, but the hall is already reserved.
  • His refusal to share the figures put a spoke in the team’s wheel.

Usage note

Replace someone’s with the affected person or group: my, our or the team’s. The expression describes obstruction, not an actual bicycle repair.

A short conversation

A: Can we use the studio on Friday?
B: It is being repaired, which puts a spoke in our wheel.
A: Let us look for another room.

One more practice question

Which event puts a spoke in a team’s wheel?

A. An unexpected restriction that prevents its plan from going ahead easily.
B. Extra support that makes its plan easier to complete.

Check your answer

A. The restriction creates an obstacle to the team’s plan.

Related lessons

Meaning and usage checked against Cambridge Dictionary. Explanations, examples and conversation are original.

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