General
spanner
What does spanner mean?
A daft person. Affectionate when it's your mate, cutting when it's not. Covers the full range from 'forgot his keys again' to 'genuine liability'.
"He's locked himself out twice this week, the spanner."
Origin
British workshop logic — calling someone a tool, but make it specific. A spanner is the dimmest, bluntest tool in the box, so the metaphor writes itself. Common across the North but lived-in in Manchester.
Frequently asked questions
What does "spanner" mean as an insult?
It means an idiot or a daft sod — someone being a tool.
How do you use "spanner" in a sentence?
"He locked his keys in the car again — what a spanner."
Is calling someone a "spanner" rude?
It's a mild, jokey British insult — cheeky rather than genuinely offensive, though still calling someone daft.
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