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nip in the bud

   Also found in: Dictionary/thesaurus, Medical, Legal, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia 0.04 sec.
nip something in the bud
Fig. to put an end to something before it develops into something larger. (Alludes to destroying a flower bud before it blooms.) I wanted to nip that little romance in the bud. The whole idea was nipped in the bud.
See also: bud, nip
nip something in the bud
to prevent a small problem from getting worse by stopping it soon after it starts The strike was nipped in the bud by some clever negotiation.
See also: bud, nip
nip something in the bud
to stop something soon after it has begun If this problem isn't nipped in the bud, it will soon get totally out of hand.
Etymology: based on the literal meaning of nip (to cut) and bud (the part of a plant that develops into a flower)
See also: bud, nip


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