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3. press the panic button

press the panic button

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press the panic button

To overreact to a negative situation with an inordinate amount of fear, alarm, or confusion. If you're going to be a successful boss, you can't press the panic button every time your company has a minor setback. New parents tend to press the panic button over every little sniffle their first baby gets.

See also: button, panic, press

press the panic button

verb

See hit the panic button

See also: button, panic, press