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.”
