Kibosh

Noun

 * 1)  A checking or restraining element.

Thesaurus
KO, bugger, call off, cancel, complete, cripple, de-energize, debilitate, delete, disable, disenable, dispose of, drain, drop the curtain, end off, enfeeble, expunge, extinguish, finalize, finish, fold up, get it over, get over with, get through with, give the quietus, hamstring, hors de combat, inactivate, incapacitate, kayo, kill, knock out, lame, maim, perfect, polish off, put, put paid to, queer, queer the works, sabotage, scrag, shoot down, spike, unfit, weaken, wing, wipe out, wreck, zap

Alternative forms

 * kaibosh, kybosh, kyebosh, kiebosh

Etymology
. Possibilities include:
 * From the caidhp bháis, meaning death cap (the hood put on someone before they were hanged to death).
 * From the kye booties, meaning cow boots (the hobble put on cattle to prevent them from straying).
 * From the כבש, kbsh meaning conquer press down
 * Some connection with Turkish bosh “empty”

Pronunciation

 * ,, or
 * ,, or

Quotations
"Sweeney Todd, The Demon Barber of Fleet Street", written by George Dibden Pitt in 1842 for the Britannia Theatre, Hoxton, at Act 3, Scene 2: JARVIS WILLIAMS (to the Keepers of a madhouse at Peckham): "Stand off you cowardly rascals, or I'll put the 'kiebosh' on the whole consarn." JONAS: "The 'kiebosh'?" JARVIS WILLIAMS: "Yes, it's a word of Greek extraction, signifying the upset of the apple-cart - so - bunk!" JONAS: "Bunk?" JARVIS WILLIAMS: "Yes, that's another Greek word, and means G.O., go."

Derived terms

 * put the kibosh on