From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishput a/the lid on somethingput a/the lid on somethinginformalSPOIL to do something that finally stops something or ruins or ends someone’s plans or hopes Let’s put a lid on all these rumours. → lid
Examples from the Corpus
put a/the lid on something• He had left the Phillips screwdriver in the spare room after we'd put the lid on.• If it passes, the measure would be the first time that an Arizona community has put a lid on building permits.• His new responsibilities have put the lid on this.• He put the lid on the pan and picked up his wine glass and drank before saying anything else.• Alan and I put the lid on the coffin and screwed it down. 