to nip something in the bud
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In North American English, this idiom typically means:
DEFINITION
to stop something before it establishes itself or gets worse
EXAMPLES
“When she saw her son mistreating other kids on the playground she knew that she had to nip his behaviour in the bud. There was no way that she was going to have her son grow up to be a bully."
“Annual checkups at the doctor’s can help to nip potential illnesses and diseases in the bud. If they are caught early enough, they can be treated with potentially little to no long-term effects on the person.”
“Name calling in arguments can lead to resentment in a marriage. It is not productive. It is, therefore, important to recognize this behaviour within yourself and nip it in the bud as soon as you can.”
What sorts of things have you had to nip in the bud? Practice using this idiom by letting me know in the comments below.