Kibosh
Meaning
To put the kibosh on something means to decisively stop it or bring it to an end.
Origin
The word 'kibosh' might have a surprisingly grim origin, potentially stemming from the old Irish phrase caip bháis, meaning 'cap of death'. This was the solemn black cap that judges would don before pronouncing a death sentence, symbolizing the finality of their decision and the end of the accused's life. This stark image of absolute finality, where all hope was extinguished, likely transitioned into our modern usage to describe decisively stopping or ending something, putting the ultimate 'cap' on it.
Examples
- The sudden downpour unfortunately put the kibosh on our plans for a picnic in the park.
- Management's decision to cut funding effectively put the kibosh on the new project before it even started.