Last night I became aware of a disappointing new reality. My son believes Wikipedia is a more reliable source than I am. Sigh...
Here's the way I uncovered this disheartening news: I used the phrase, "Nip it in the bud" and the above-mentioned son promptly informed me that I had it wrong: "It's 'Nip it in the butt,' Mom!"
Here's the way I uncovered this disheartening news: I used the phrase, "Nip it in the bud" and the above-mentioned son promptly informed me that I had it wrong: "It's 'Nip it in the butt,' Mom!"
We each defended our position - yes, he actually had an explanation for why HIS version was the right one - but it took a Google search to convince the child that indeed his mother didn't fall off the apple cart yesterday and actually KNEW whereof she spoke. Wikipedia backed me up...and he believed IT, but not ME. Whatever is the world coming to?
As is not uncommom with idioms, there remains some dispute about the exact origin of this phrase, but everyone agrees about its meaning: to halt the progress or growth of a thing before it has a chance to blossom and produce fruit. It does NOT mean to pinch someone in the rear end so that they stop what they're doing. Really.
Don't believe me? Then you too can verify through Wikipedia.
Don't believe me? Then you too can verify through Wikipedia.
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