put the genie back in the bottle en · VERB
Meanings
-
(idiomatic, in the negative) To revert a situation; to put things back as they were before something (usually an unwelcome thing) became a reality.
People are very worried about artificial intelligence, but there's no way now to put the genie back in the bottle.
Near-synonym: unring a bell
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| puts the genie back in the bottle | Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres | lexicographic | |
| putting the genie back in the bottle | Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| put the genie back in the bottle | Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| put the genie back in the bottle | Tense=Past | lexicographic |
Relateds
toothpaste is out of the tube · Pandora's box · ride the tiger · close the stable door after the horse has bolted · the genie is out of the bottle
Synonyms
unring a bell · put the toothpaste back in the tube · put the cork back in the bottle