press/push the panic button

press the panic button

To overreact to a negative situation with an inordinate amount of fear, alarm, or confusion. If you're going to be a successful boss, you can't press the panic button every time your company has a minor setback. New parents tend to press the panic button over every little sniffle their first baby gets.

See also: button, panic, press

push the panic button

To overreact to a negative situation with an inordinate amount of fear, alarm, or confusion. If you're going to be a successful boss, you can't push the panic button every time your company has a minor setback. New parents tend to push the panic button over every little sniffle their first baby gets. You learn to chill out when you have more kids.

See also: button, panic, push

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

push the panic button

Also, press the panic button. Overreact to a situation, as in Don't worry; Jane is always pushing the panic button, but I'm sure the baby's fine. This term originated during World War II, when certain bombers had a bell-warning system so that the crew could bail out if the plane was severely hit. Occasionally a pilot would push the button in error, when there was only minor damage, causing the crew to bail out unnecessarily. By 1950 the expression had been transferred to other kinds of overreaction.

See also: button, panic, push

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

press (or push or hit) the panic button

respond to a situation by panicking or taking emergency measures. informal

A panic button is a security device which can be used to raise the alarm in an emergency.

See also: button, panic, press

Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017

press/push the ˈpanic button

(British English) react in a sudden or an extreme way to something unexpected that has frightened you: Although the team lost yet another match on Saturday, their manager is refusing to press the panic button.

See also: button, panic, press, push

Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017

press the panic button

verb

See hit the panic button

See also: button, panic, press

push the panic button

verb

See hit the panic button

See also: button, panic, push

McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.