Definitions
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
- n. Informal A checking or restraining element: had to put the kibosh on a poorly conceived plan.
Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- n. The form, manner, style, or fashion of something; the thing: as, that is the proper kibosh; full dress is the correct kibosh for the opera.
- n. Something indefinite; a thing of any kind not definitely conceived or intended: as, I'll give him the kibosh
- n. The thing in question; the stuff: as, that's the proper kibosh. Hence, specifically.
- n. The stuff used in filling cracks or giving finish or shadow to architectural sculptures, namely, Portland cement.
- n. Wages; money. Eng. Dial. Dict. (s. v. kybosh).
- n. Affectation; display; pretense.
- n. Stuff; nonsense; rubbish; bosh.
- n. To put the finishing touches on; perfect (one) in his trade.
- n. Intransitively, to do one's best.
- To finish off; knock out; squash completely; end.
- To throw kibosh, or Portland cement, upon (carved stonework) with a blowpipe and a brush, so as to enhance the shadows.
Wiktionary
- n. A checking or restraining element.
GNU Webster's 1913
- n. Nonsense; stuff; also, fashion; style.
- n. Portland cement when thrown or blown into the recesses of carved stonework to intensify the shadows.
WordNet 3.0
- v. stop from happening or developing
Etymologies
- Origin unknown.
Examples
“Let me suggest the Hebrew word kavash as a possible origin of the slang word kibosh.”
Simon & Schuster: The Right Word in the Right Place at the Right Time
“I love that word kibosh, reminds me so much of Joe Davola.”
“Spencer Parsons: "A little less than a year since the first public screenings, Warner Bros. has called the kibosh on performances of Brad Neely's Wizard People, Dear Reader, though no official legal action has been taken, and none appears imminent.”
“In the second place, there is nothing whatever in the connotation of "kibosh" that would prevent it appearing in the pages of your magazine.”
“She said, "Oh, don't tell them that, because you know that will put the 'kibosh' on it, and kill the whole thing.”
“And it took us only one day to put the "kibosh" on that particular scheme.”
“And all the time I was praying that the kid wouldn't wake up, come down out of the cab, and put the "kibosh" on me.”
“Just today I realized that you pronounce 'kibosh' like 'KYE-bosh.”
“Although Viner tells Sneed he has not been contacted by hotshot Hollywood agent Ari Emanuel, brother of White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel -- rumors surfaced Ari may have been trying to put the "kibosh" on the book's publication.”
“_taboo_, that strange, sacred kibosh which is laid on certain acts, objects or localities throughout these far-flung islands.”
Lists
These user-created lists contain the word ‘kibosh’.
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Stoppage
Stop words.
stop, freeze, hault, quit, nevermore, end, finish, complete, done, final, yield, pause and 14 more...
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edward ryklin's list
viewy, kibosh, snark, rostrum, flummox, ossuary, cosset, cacography, grok, tonsorial, postprandial, eschatology and 5 more...
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Enough is enough
chrissykp A recurring antagonist in some of the 'Casper the Friendly Ghost' movies is named Kibosh. He's the king of the ghosts and a stickler for rules, which often leads to conflict with Casper and his "uncles". Apr 17, 2012
chrissykp A recurring antagonist in some of the 'Casper the Friendly Ghost' movies is named Kibosh. He's the king of the ghosts and a stickler for rules, which often leads to conflict with Casper and his "uncles". Apr 17, 2012
chrissykp A recurring antagonist in some of the 'Casper the Friendly Ghost' movies is named Kibosh. He's the king of the ghosts and a stickler for rules, which often leads to conflict with Casper and his "uncles". Apr 17, 2012
john What you put on things to stop them. Apr 14, 2008