What was said? “We need to nip this in the bud before it becomes a bigger problem.”
Did someone really say that? Yes, during a discussion around product quality and some issues that were found.
What does it mean? It means to stop something before it has a chance to “blossom.” The idea being if you have a small(ish) problem and “nip it in the bud” then you stop it from becoming a larger problem / crisis. If you have a plant that you prune / nip in the bud, you are effectively cutting it off so it won’t grow or blossom into a flower. It has nothing to do with human anatomy where many think the expression is Nip it in the Butt!
Origin: It has its roots in gardening / botany naturally, but it was first recorded in a play back in 1606 by Beaumont and Fetcher where a spring frost kills flower buds and the term was used metaphorically.
Sources
- https://www.themuse.com/advice/its-not-nip-it-in-the-butt-and-other-idioms-you-might-be-getting-wrong#:~:text=Correct%20Idiom%3A%20Nip%20it%20in%20the%20Bud&text=This%20idiom%20references%20gardening.,nothing%20to%20do%20with%20anatomy.
- https://www.dictionary.com/browse/nip–in–the–bud#:~:text=Halt%20something%20at%20an%20early,Fletcher%20play%20of%201606%E2%80%931607.
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