Meaning:
The phrase gum up the works means to prevent a process, a system or a machine from working smoothly.
Examples:
- Are you trying to gum up the works?
- Let's not gum up the works now.
- If you call me that in front of the bankers, you're gonna gum up the works.
- We already know what he's gonna say, and two confessions could gum up the works.