From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishnip something in the budnip something in the budPREVENTto prevent something from becoming a problem by stopping it as soon as it starts Try to nip this kind of bad behaviour in the bud. → nip
Examples from the Corpus
nip something in the bud• It's important to nip this problem in the bud.• The idea is to nip minor school problems in the bud.• Guideline 18: Try to nip misbehaviour in the bud.• It was the best way to nip this in the bud.• Far better to draw them into the school to nip things in the bud than leave them to ferment discontent.• If I'd known about their plan I could have nipped it in the bud there and then. 