gum up

verb

1. to cover, dab, or stiffen with gum
2. informal.
   to make a mess of; bungle (often in the phrase gum up the works )

Idioms and Phrases

Ruin or bungle something, as in The front office has gummed up the sales campaign thoroughly . This idiom is also put as gum up the works , as in John's changes in procedures have gummed up the works in the shipping department . [ Slang ; c. 1900]

Related Words

• bungle