Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

carrot and stick

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: 3.59 in modern English

Syllables: car-rot and -stick
IPA

23

Scrabble Score

14

Letters

3

Syllables

10

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

The simultaneous rewarding of good behavior and punishing of bad behavior.

Example Sentences

"It was this carrot and stick discipline to which Mr. John Mill was subjected, and which he accepted dutifully as flowing from that perfect wisdom of which up to this time his father had been the representative."
"There was no similar carrot and stick for use against the French land armaments."
"The proposal to use the world trade order as a source of carrots and sticks for the pursuit of environmental objectives is based on three illusions."
"the artful tactic of carrot and stick bore relatively plentiful fruit."

Etymology

From combining two ways to motivate a beast of burden, with the lure of a carrot placed just out of reach, and the threat of a stick behind.

Inflected Forms

carrots and sticks (plural) stick and carrot (alternative)

Questions

What does carrot and stick mean?: The simultaneous rewarding of good behavior and punishing of bad behavior.
Where does carrot and stick come from?: From combining two ways to motivate a beast of burden, with the lure of a carrot placed just out of reach, and the threat of a stick behind.

How to pronounce carrot and stick

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