gum up (something)

to cause something to stop working well.

Don't send any attachments or pictures, because they tend to gum up my computer.

Related vocabulary: gum up the works

Etymology: based on the idea of getting gum (= a sticky substance) in a machine

• earn stripes
• earn your spurs
• earn your stripes
• ears are flapping
• ears must be burning
• earth moved
• earth-shattering
• easier said than done
• easy as A, B, C
• easy as falling off a log
• easy as pie
• easy come, easy go
• Easy does it!
• easy does it
• easy money
• eat alive
• eat away at
• eat away at something
• eat crow
• eat for breakfast
• eat heart out
• eat humble pie
• eat it up
• eat like a bird
• eat like a horse