Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

trip to the woodshed

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.19 in modern English

Syllables: trip -to the -wood-shed
IPA

30

Scrabble Score

17

Letters

4

Syllables

10

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

An occasion on which a reprimand or punishment is administered privately.

American usage

Example Sentences

"More than a few of the 3,000 members of the National Association of Manufacturers, gathered for their annual convention in Manhattan's Waldorf-Astoria Hotel last week, felt like small boys worrying about a trip to the woodshed. None knew how vindictive or friendly toward business the Truman Administration would be."

Etymology

Probably derived from the previous term "horseshedding," meaning to take a person privately (such as to a horse shed or woodshed, separate buildings away from the house) for private cajoling or reprimand.

Usage

American usage

Inflected Forms

trips to the woodshed (plural)

Phrases

call on the carpet

Frequently Paired Words

call on the carpet

Questions

What does trip to the woodshed mean?: An occasion on which a reprimand or punishment is administered privately.
Where does trip to the woodshed come from?: Probably derived from the previous term "horseshedding," meaning to take a person privately (such as to a horse shed or woodshed, separate buildings away from the house) for private cajoling or reprimand.

How to pronounce trip to the woodshed

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