Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

cry carrots and turnips

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.62 in modern English

Syllables
cry -car-rot-s and -turnips
IPA
30
Scrabble Score
20
Letters
5
Syllables
12
Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

To be taken through the streets on a cart while being whipped, as a punishment for certain crimes.

Obsolete; Slang

Example Sentences

Etymology

Probably referring to the vegetables which spectators would pelt at the person drawn on the cart. Green's Dictionary of Slang suggests that the term is of onomatopoeic origin.

Usage

Inflected Forms

Questions

What does cry carrots and turnips mean?
To be taken through the streets on a cart while being whipped, as a punishment for certain crimes.
Where does cry carrots and turnips come from?
Probably referring to the vegetables which spectators would pelt at the person drawn on the cart. Green's Dictionary of Slang suggests that the term is of onomatopoeic origin.

How to pronounce cry carrots and turnips

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  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
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  4. Repeat and practice — Say “cry carrots and turnips” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.