If someone makes a plot and efforts to put barriers in someone's way that they fail their goals or don't get success, what idiom is used for this situation?
A. to cut others' leg
B. to cut others' ladder
C. to pull others' leg
Can we say:
X cut Y's legs so that Y doesn't get permission.
There are many terms that could be used, depending on whether they are doing it deliberately, how they do it and how actively they pursue it.
hinder - to limit the ability of someone to do something, or to limit the development of something
hamper - to prevent someone doing something easily
thwart - to stop something from happening or someone from doing something
sabotage - to intentionally prevent the success of a plan or action
There are also some informal expressions,for example:
I wouldn't really use any of those expressions, how about:
X got in the way of Y so that Y doesn't get permission
There is an expression in British English "to pull the rug out from under someone's feet" which seems to fit with the examples given in the question.
Note: the third example given "C. to pull others' leg" sounds too much like "to pull someone's leg" which means to tease.
