nuke it from orbit

English

Etymology

Alteration of dialog from the 1986 movie Aliens in which Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) proposes a solution to an infestation of dangerous creatures: "I say we take off and nuke the entire site from orbit. It's the only way to be sure."

Verb

nuke it from orbit

1. (informal, often humorous) The referent of it is dangerous or undesirable and should be eliminated.

Usage notes

• Usually used as a commentary on the merits of the thing to be nuked rather than as a call to action.
• In information security, implies that a system has been so thoroughly compromised that the only choice is to completely recreate it.