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genie

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put the genie back in the bottle

To attempt to revert a situation to how it formerly existed by containing, limiting, or repressing information, ideas, advancements, etc., that have become commonplace or public knowledge. Almost always used in the negative to denote the impossibility of such an attempt. Many people lament the ubiquity and pervasive nature of social media, but no one will be able to put that particular genie back in the bottle.

See also: back, bottle, genie, put

the genie is out of the bottle

something has become known Efforts to ban cloning cannot succeed - the genie is out of the bottle.

Usage notes: often used in the form put the genie back in the bottle: Once people got used to e-mail, it was impossible to put this genie back in the bottle.

Etymology: based on the story of a genie (magic being) who was released from a bottle and then helps the person who let it out

See also: bottle, genie, of, out

let the genie out of the bottle

  (mainly American)

to allow something bad to happen which cannot then be stopped

Usage notes: In old Arabian stories, a genie was a magic spirit that would do whatever the person who controlled it wanted.

With the Internet, we really let the genie out of the bottle. People now have unlimited access to all manner of material. (mainly American)

See also: bottle, genie, let, of, out