gums up
Clogs the works
Gums up means to clog, impede, or cause to malfunction—like machinery fouled by a sticky substance.
The image is of gum or residue jamming the works: Sediment gums up the filter.
More often figurative: Bureaucracy gums up the approval process.
To gum up the works is to cause problems that bring progress to a halt.
- clogBlock or wooden shoe
- stymieTo obstruct or baffle
- malfunctionFailure to operate properly
- jamCooked fruit spread
- obstructBlock or hinder passage
breakdown · sludge · block · choke · gunked · tar · bottleneck · slow down · adhesive · glitch · slowdown · delay · grind to a halt · impede · snag · throw a wrench · monkey wrench · residue
problem-solving/complexity
gums upsorts out
Resolves or organizes
fixes · resolves · simplifies · streamlines · clears up
process efficiency
gums upfacilitates
Makes more possible
streamlines · smooths out · expedites · enables · speeds up