Put paid to someone's plans 🖐️🚫

Meaning

To stop something from happening or succeeding.

Origin

The "paid" in this phrase doesn't refer to money changing hands. Instead, it comes from the French word "payer," meaning "to have done" or "to have settled." Imagine a debt being settled, completely and finally. When you "put paid" to something, you've settled it, finished it off, ensuring it won't be coming back. This notion evolved into the idea of decisively ending or thwarting plans, bringing them to a final, unrecoverable conclusion.

❌📉 failure 🎭🤥 deception 🔒 secrets 👑⚖️ power ☠️ risk

Put paid to someone's plans represented with emoji🖐️🚫

This playful arrangement of hand and prohibition sign functions as a delightful shorthand, subverting the notion of meticulous planning by elegantly signaling the abrupt end of any given endeavor. It underscores the finality of a thwarted ambition with a charmingly simple gesture, inviting a dialogue on the ephemeral nature of our schemes and the often humorous ways we communicate their demise.

Examples

  • The sudden rain put paid to our picnic.
  • His unexpected resignation really put paid to the company's expansion plans.
  • A rogue squirrel, with a penchant for acorns and mischief, put paid to the wizard's spell for eternal sunshine.
  • The grumpy dragon, who disliked loud noises, put paid to the village's annual trumpet festival with a single, booming snore.

Frequently asked questions

Is 'put paid to someone's plans' a formal or informal idiom?

While 'put paid to someone's plans' can be used in formal contexts to describe definitively ending a project or initiative, it generally leans towards informal usage. It's more common in everyday conversation and writing than in highly academic or legal documents, evoking a sense of finality and perhaps a touch of triumph.

Can you 'put paid to' your own plans?

Yes, you can 'put paid to' your own plans, though it's less common than acting against someone else's. It implies a deliberate and definitive decision to abandon or cancel something you yourself had intended to do, often due to changing circumstances or priorities.

What is the opposite of 'put paid to someone's plans'?

The opposite of 'put paid to someone's plans' would be to 'facilitate,' 'support,' 'enable,' or 'bring someone's plans to fruition.' These actions all describe helping plans to succeed or come to completion, rather than stopping them.

Does 'put paid to someone's plans' always imply a negative outcome?

While it usually signifies the end of an endeavor, 'put paid to someone's plans' doesn't inherently mean the outcome is negative for everyone involved. For instance, if someone's plans were to cause harm, having those plans 'put paid to' would be a positive development for others.

Similar to "put paid to someone's plans"

Throw a spanner in the works
Both phrases mean to disrupt a plan, but 'throw a spanner in the works' feels more accidental or mischievous, like an unexpected hitch, whereas 'put paid to' often implies a deliberate, decisive end
Nip it in the bud
Both phrases talk about stopping something before it gets going, but 'nip it in the bud' feels proactive and preventative, like stopping a problem before it even starts, while 'put paid to' is often about ending something that's already in motion or established
Scupper someone's plans
Both phrases describe ruining someone's intentions, but 'scupper' often carries a sense of sinking or capsizing something—like a ship—evoking a more dramatic and final downfall than the somewhat more business-like 'put paid to'

Opposite of "put paid to someone's plans"

Pave the way for someone's plans
This phrase argues for clearing obstacles and creating opportunities, directly contrasting 'put paid to' by championing smooth progress and success rather than decisive stops. The tension lies in whether the focus is on enabling or disabling futures
Foster someone's plans
This phrase champions nurturing growth and development, standing in stark opposition to the idea of definitively ending plans. The contrast is compelling because it highlights the fundamental choice between cultivation and cancellation

Related to "put paid to someone's plans"

Dead in the water
This idiom shares a nautical flavor with 'scupper' and speaks to a plan that has completely stopped progressing, much like a plan that has been 'put paid to'
A foregone conclusion
This phrase often describes a situation where the outcome is so certain that any attempt to stop it (to 'put paid to' it) would be futile, linking the idea of finality to pre-determined success
Foiled again!
This exclamation captures the moment a plan is thwarted, resonating with the frustration and drama that often accompanies having one's intentions 'put paid to'
Bring to a grinding halt
This shares the sense of abrupt cessation with 'put paid to', emphasizing a sudden and definitive stop, often with significant force