nip in the bud

== English == === Pronunciation === (UK, US) IPA(key): /ˈnɪp.ɪn.ðəˈbʌd/ === Verb === nip in the bud (third-person singular simple present nips in the bud, present participle nipping in the bud, simple past and past participle nipped in the bud) To remove a bud (from a plant) to prevent flower and fruit from forming. (idiomatic) To stop something at an early stage. ==== Translations ==== === Further reading === “nip something in the bud”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022. Gary Martin (1997–), “Nip in the bud”, in The Phrase Finder.