1
general::
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]
American Heritage Idioms
2
general::
Phrase(s): gum something up [and] gum the works up
Fig. to make something inoperable; to ruin someone’s plans. • Please, Bill, be careful and don’t gum up the works. • Tom sure gummed up the whole plan.
McGrawhill's American Idioms And Phrasal Verbs