play woman and dog illustration

'Nip it in the butt' or 'Nip it in the bud'?

We're gonna stop you right there


Is it 'nip it in the butt' or 'nip it in the bud'? Senior Editor Emily Brewster explains.

Transcript

Sometimes a word that sounds like the right word and feels like the right word isn't actually the right word. It's an eggcorn. You don't nip something in the butt if you want to stop it before it gets worse, though, maybe that would work in some cases. No, you nip it in the bud. You figuratively pinch off the bud before it opens into a leaf or flower.

Up next

play woman and dog illustration
'Nip it in the butt' or 'Nip it in the bud'?

 

We're gonna stop you right there

play serial comma
The Serial Comma Explained

 

Why don't they call it the Merriam-Webster comma?

play video schwa
The Schwa

 

The most common vowel sound in English causes many spelling problems.

play serenity carr next to an illustration of a refrigerator with the letter d in it
Why is there a 'd' in 'fridge' but not in 'refrigerator'?

 

Thawing one of the mysteries of English

play body parts video
When Body Parts Are Also Verbs

 

Head, shoulders, metaphors, and toes

play video affect vs effect
Affect vs. Effect

 

Here's the lowdown on what may be the most confusing pair of words in the English language.

play ismo merriam webster trunk boot
Some Odd Words with ISMO: "Junk in the Trunk"

 

Comedian ISMO on what separates a boot from a trunk