put the lid on something

put the lid on (something)

1. To induce something's failure. Unfortunately, a broken leg put the lid on my vacation to the ski resort.2. To quash or suppress something; to control something so as to keep it from flourishing, increasing, or succeeding. We need to put the lid on rumors about the company going bankrupt. We decided to put the lid on the project since we didn't have enough funds to see it through to the end.See also: lid, on, put

keep/put a/the ˈlid on something

try to make sure that people do not do something or find out about something: The government wants to keep the lid on discussion of tax reforms at the moment.See also: keep, lid, on, put, something

put the (tin) ˈlid on something

(British English, informal) bring to an end an activity, your hopes or plans: I’ve got a place at an American university but I can’t afford to go, so that’s put the lid on that. ♢ It rained and rained, which put the tin lid on our plans for a picnic in the park.See also: lid, on, put, something