Grammar Entry 651 / 1011 60-second read

Nip it in the butt vs. Nip it in the bud

Nip a bud, not a butt.

The comparisoni

✗ Wrong

Let's nip this problem in the butt.

✓ Correct

Let's nip this problem in the bud.

The ruleii

NIP in the BUD — gardening metaphor.

To nip a plant's bud stops it from flowering — stopping something before it grows.

Memory aidiii

Remember it like this

Gardener's metaphor.

You might also like 6 related
↑↓Navigate Open EscClose All results →