kibosh

Definitions  ·  Examples  ·  Pronunciations  ·  Etymologies  ·  Related  ·  Statistics  ·  Comments (1)  · 
“
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."

View all »
Definitions (15)

Toggle American Heritage definitions American Heritage Dictionary (1)

  1. noun Informal A checking or restraining element: had to put the kibosh on a poorly conceived plan.

Toggle Century definitions Century Dictionary (12)

Toggle GNU Webster definitions GNU Webster's 1913 (1)

Toggle WordNet definitions WordNet (1)

Toggle elsewhere links Elsewhere on the web

View all »
Examples (50)

  • Many authorities believe that kibosh was based on the Gaelic phrase cie báis (pronounced "ky-bosh"), meaning "cap of death." —  The Word Detective
  • 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. —  BackyardConservative
  • The snowstorm put the kibosh on Christmas shopping … meaning … I never did buy presents for most of my family members. —  SOMETHING TO SAY
  • And neither have they put the kibosh on Liverpool's title challenge; Rafael Benitez is fielding that one himself by repeatedly picking Lucas. —  The Guardian World News
  • And neither have they put the kibosh on Liverpool's title challenge; Rafael Benitez is fielding that one ... —  Megite Technology News: What's Happening Right Now
More examples »
 

Tags

kibosh hasn't been tagged yet.

Sign up or sign in to add tags.

Stats

This word has been looked up 106 times.

stop updating
On Twitter

Photos from

flickr images

Etymologies (4)

Toggle American Heritage etymologies American Heritage Dictionary (1)

  1. Origin unknown.

Toggle Century etymologies Century Dictionary (3)

  1. Also kybosh; a slang word, of obscure origin.
  2. Also kybosh, kye-bosh; origin obscure, but prob. a spontaneous emphatic word of purposely indefinite character, from ki-, ka-, ker-, a vague introductory syllable (see ker-), + bosh, an emphatic syllable (prob. sometimes associated with the historical word bosh, nothing, stuff, nonsense, a word of Turkish origin which came into English use at about the same time). As the Avord never had a definite meaning, it served as a convenient substitutionary word where emphasis was to be conveyed or precise words were lacking at the moment. Compare the similar vague substitutionary uses of thing, jig, bob, thingumbob, stuff, etc.
  3. kibosh, n.
 

Pronunciations
Record your own »
/kɪˈbɑʃɑrkaɪˈbɑʃ/
by American Heritage

Charts
frequency chart

Bubble size: how much this word was used in a year

Bubble height: used more or less than expected, vs. all uses evenly distributed

You can expect to see this word about twice a year.

Recently looked up

Fray · pants · peradventure · fluorocarbon · tavern

Recent Favorites

pygopagus · sanglant · Astacus · sweetbread · qualms

Recent Pronunciations

eu oi oìa u ou e u oìa · the octopi are dry · Kansas City · spell it rite · put it in your pocket