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