monkey-wrencher

English

Alternative forms

• monkey wrencher, monkeywrencher

Etymology

monkey wrench +‎ -er, see monkeywrenching.

Noun

monkey-wrencher (plural monkey-wrenchers)

1. (slang) An activist who sabotages operations perceived as harmful to the natural environment.
   • 1989, Roderick Frazier Nash, The Rights of Nature: A History of Environmental Ethics, University of Wisconsin Press, →ISBN, page 196:

     Howie Wolke, an Earth First! founder and frequent monkey-wrencher, thought "conventional tactics" and "non-violent direct action" were worthwhile techniques for environmentalists.

   • 2010, James Bishop, Epitaph For A Desert Anarchist: The Life And Legacy Of Edward Abbey, Simon and Schuster, →ISBN, page 132:

     In reality, says one of his closest friends and an active monkey wrencher who prefers anonymity, “Ed was reporting what he saw around him. Truth be told, monkey wrenching is not even controversial in many areas of the Southwest. […]

Related terms

• monkeywrenching