In North American English, wrench is the standard term. The most common shapes are called open-end wrench and box-end wrench. In American English, spanner refers to a specialized wrench with a series of pins or tabs around the circumference.
What do Brits call a spanner?
In British English,
spanner
is the standard term. … The term wrench is generally used for tools that turn non fastening devices (e.g. tap wrench and pipe wrench), or may be used for a monkey wrench – an adjustable spanner. … In American English, wrench is the standard term.
What is a spanner in UK?
1 chiefly British :
wrench
. 2 : a wrench that has a hole, projection, or hook at one or both ends of the head for engaging with a corresponding device on the object that is to be turned.
What can I use if I don’t have a spanner wrench?
- Duck tape. Duct tape is useful in almost any situation but you may be surprised to learn that you can use it to loosen bolts. …
- Two coins. Who would think that money can be used as a makeshift tool? …
- Zip-tie. …
- Another nut and bolt.
Why are wrench preferred over spanner?
Torque or turning effect due to a force is maximum when r is maximum. We prefer to use a wrench with long arm because when the length of the arm(r) is long,
the force (F) required to produce a given turning effect ( x ) is smaller
. Hence, a nut can be unscrewed easily.
What is a wrench called in England?
In the UK, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand
spanner
is the standard term. The most common shapes are called open-ended spanner and ring spanner. The term wrench is generally used for tools that turn non-fastening devices (e.g. tap wrench and pipe wrench), or may be used for a monkey wrench—an adjustable pipe wrench.
Why do British say spanner?
5. “
You’ve thrown a spanner in the works
.” When you “put/throw a spanner in the works,” it means you’ve ruined a plan. A spanner is the word for a wrench in England, so it’s the British equivalent of “throwing a wrench in the works.”
What’s another word for a spanner?
In this page you can discover 9 synonyms, antonyms, idiomatic expressions, and related words for spanner, like:
wrench
, screwdriver, crowbar, plier, thumbscrew, kango, circlip, hand-drill and machine.
What does being called a spanner mean?
spanner (noun)
an offensive word for a stupid person
.
Where is the word spanner used?
Outside of North America, spanner is
just another word for “wrench
.” If Americans want to ruin something, they “throw a wrench into it.” British people “throw a spanner in the works.” If you’ve ever needed to assemble something — like bookshelves — and needed to tighten or loosen a bolt, you probably needed a spanner.
Can I use pliers instead of a wrench?
Although
pliers
can be used to tighten and loosen nuts, this is a task better suited to the wrench. Pliers tend to damage the surfaces of fasteners and are usually more difficult to use than a properly-sized wrench.
What can I use if I have no pliers?
If you need pliers to grip onto something large, you can try a pair of
stainless-steel kitchen tongs
, although you may struggle with torque. If you think you can manage it with your hands but need a better grip, try using a silicone kitchen mitt or one of those jar-opening pads.
What kind of tool is a spanner?
The spanner is
a hand-held tool used to provide grip and tighten or loosen fasteners
. It gives a mechanical advantage in applying torque to turn objects. The tool is used in turning rotary fasteners like nuts and bolts.
Why do we prefer a spanner?
The turning effect of force,τ=→r×→F When arm of the spanner is long, r is larger. There fore smaller force (F) will produce the same turning effect. Hence, the
spanner of longer arm is preferred
as compared to the spanner of shorter arm.
Why does a wrench has a long handle?
Answer: A wrench has a long handle because
the turning effect of a body depends upon the perpendicular distance of line of action of the applied force from the axis of rotation
.
Why do they call a pipe wrench a monkey wrench?
Hall sent a clip from World Wide Words, an etymology website, which suggested that the wrench got its animalistic moniker
because it was similar to a “key wrench
,” but was different enough to be called a “non-key” wrench. That awkward phrasing was then corrupted to “monkey wrench.”
