cut the umbilical cord

Related to cut the umbilical cord: umbilical clamp

cut the umbilical cord

To strike out on one's own from an overly involved or suffocating relationship, usually between a parent and child. I love my mom, I truly do, but she used to call me five times a day! I had to cut the umbilical cord! Geez Pete, you're 40 years old! It's time to cut the umbilical cord and stop living with your parents!
See also: cord, cut
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

cut the umbilical cord

or

cut the cord

If you cut the umbilical cord or cut the cord, you start acting independently rather than continuing to rely on the person or thing that you have always relied on. Both nations are eager to cut the umbilical cord tying them to the federation in its current shape. Note: An unborn baby's umbilical cord is the tube connecting it to its mother, through which it receives oxygen and nutrients.
See also: cord, cut
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.
See also:
  • cut the cord
  • stars in one's eyes, have
  • have stars in (one's) eyes
  • have stars in eyes
  • have stars in your eyes
  • live in the present
  • stars in (one's) eyes
  • stars in eyes
  • stars in your eyes
  • forty minutes of hell
References in periodicals archive
most important commandment: cut the umbilical cord, years inter-
Jacee Dellapena was even allowed to cut the umbilical cord
I couldn't believe it!" Alun added: "Although I missed the birth, I'm just happy everything turned out fine and I got to cut the umbilical cord. Also, I'm from North Tyneside and Sarah is from South Tyneside and our three other children have all be born in South Tyneside.
A local GP and nurse arrived shortly afterwards - just in time to cut the umbilical cord.
But would the fortunes of the Welsh Conservatives - and indeed Welsh Labour, who are faced with very similar problems - improve if they cut the umbilical cord from London?
Paramedics arrived minutes later at their home in Tantobie, near Stanley, to cut the umbilical cord.
Belkis Gonzalez came into the room, cut the umbilical cord, swept the infant into a trash can with a red bag along with the gauze used during the procedure, and took the bag out of the room," the affidavit states.
Paul Redmond, head of careers at Liverpool University said interfering parents, known as "helicopter parents" because they hover over their children, were refusing to cut the umbilical cord. And today city business chiefs backed his stance saying parents were even turning up to students' job interviews.
So much so that he may even be ready to cut the umbilical cord and move out of his mum's place.
The midwife arrived in time to cut the umbilical cord.
Just a few minutes after Angus was born, Dennis was on hand to take control and cut the umbilical cord.
Both Donna and Ria were checked over by the midwife when she arrived to cut the umbilical cord.
An hour later, mother and daughter were lifted aboard a South African helicopter after a medic had been winched down to the tree to cut the umbilical cord.
Shoppers call for an ambulance and nurses, who arrive at the scene shortly after, cut the umbilical cord and provide care for the newborn.
TV chef Jamie Oliver and wife Jools invited their eldest daughters to witness the birth of their brother and even cut the umbilical cord.