Quite possibly the 5 wisest words¹ ever spoken on TV.
¹ Spoken by Barney Fife on the Andy Griffith Show, circa 1960's.
Barney Fife: "Nip it in the bud! You got to nip it in the bud! ... Nip it! You goread any book you want on the subject of child discipline, and you'll find that every one of 'em is in favor of bud-nippin'... Only one way to take care of it."
1) to trim a plant stem where buds appear to encourage more flowering or leaf growth instead of stem growth
2) to stop anything prior to it growing larger or more extreme, related to #1
3) to obtain a small amount of weed and/or other substance that belongs to someone else without their knowledge
4) to pinch or grab someone's buttocks in a playful manner CAUTION: current sexual mores require obtaining signed & notarized document of consent prior to engaging in this behavior
1) To encourage additional blooms, take each stem and nip it in the bud after the blossom has faded 2) I tried to play sick to miss school but Mom nipped it in the bud by taking my temperature
3) Every time I get weed from Cooter he nips it in the bud then expects me to throw him some
4) I feel free to admire my man's fine ass & to nip him in the bud since I obtained the required document of consent.
Brought to public attention by Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein in the book on the fall of Richard Nixon, All The President’s Men, ratfucker was Nixon’s term for a political operative who sows chaos among opponents; an agent provocateur. It is thought to have originated among campus political rivalries at USC, and seems to have some usage in the US military.
Along with Nixon’s other ratfuckers, Roger Stone caused fights at otherwise peaceful Democratic Party protests to generate a false narrative that the Democrats were violent and dangerous.