put the boom down

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put the boom down (third-person singular simple present puts the boom down, present participle putting the boom down, simple past and past participle put the boom down)

1. (idiomatic, intransitive) confront a person or problem; lower the boom.

   Lauren let each of her students take one chocolate, for she didn't want parents to put the boom down if the kids got cavities or tummyaches.

   • 2012 January 16, “Mary/Annie”, in Hoarders‎^[1], season 5, episode 3, archived from the original on June 14, 2022:

     Bethany had social services, the SPCA, and the health department come in... And they came in and put the boom down.

2. (idiomatic, intransitive) to be really angry.

• fly off the handle
• hit the roof
• lose one's marbles
• lose one's temper