Definition of "gum up" []

• To cause to be gooey or gummy, especially with the effect of obstructing the operation of some mechanism or process. (verb)
• To make non-functional; to interfere with or put into a state of disorder; to ruin. (verb)

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• "Although they’d bind strongly, those stick-to-everything objects would gum up the works."
• "The budgerigars were all asleep in the big red gum up above, and somewhere along the river bed, the mopoke was calling again."