Definition of put the kibosh on
: to stop or end (something) : to prevent (something) from happening or continuing His mother put the kibosh on his smoking habit.
Where did the saying put the kibosh on?
To “put the kibosh” on something means to stop an activity. “Kibosh” is believed to come from the Arabic word “qurbāsh,” referring to a whip used for punishment.
What does kibosh mean in French?
J. Peter Maher traces kibosh to French caboche “head (informal), noodle, nut” or rather the English verb cabosh (from French) “to cut off a stag's head behind the ears (with no part of the neck in view) as a trophy.” Both the noun and the verb are common terms in heraldry.
