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slap on the wrist

slap on the wrist
S s

Transcription

    • US Pronunciation
    • US IPA
    • [slap on, awn stressed th ee rist]
    • /slæp ɒn, ɔn stressed ði rɪst/
    • US Pronunciation
    • US IPA
    • [slap on, awn stressed th ee rist]
    • /slæp ɒn, ɔn stressed ði rɪst/

Definitions of slap on the wrist words

  • noun slap on the wrist a sharp blow or smack, especially with the open hand or with something flat. 1
  • noun slap on the wrist a sound made by or as if by such a blow or smack: the slap of the waves against the dock. 1
  • noun slap on the wrist a sharply worded or sarcastic rebuke or comment. 1
  • verb with object slap on the wrist to strike sharply, especially with the open hand or with something flat. 1
  • verb with object slap on the wrist to bring (the hand, something flat, etc.) with a sharp blow against something. 1
  • verb with object slap on the wrist to dash or cast forcibly: He slapped the package against the wall. 1
See all 10 definitions of slap on the wrist

Information block about the term

Origin of slap on the wrist

First appearance:

before 1625
One of the 42% oldest English words
First recorded in 1625-35, slap is from the Low German word slapp, slappe; of expressive orig.

Historical Comparancy

Parts of speech for Slap on the wrist

noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation
Full grammatical hierarchy of Slap on the wrist

slap on the wrist popularity

A common word. It’s meaning is known to most children of preschool age. About 92% of English native speakers know the meaning and use the word.
Most Europeans know this English word. The frequency of it’s usage is somewhere between "mom" and "screwdriver".

slap on the wrist usage trend in Literature

This diagram is provided by Google Ngram Viewer

Synonyms for slap on the wrist

verb slap on the wrist

  • call down — to request or invoke
  • call on the carpet — (chiefly US) To reprimand; to censure severely or angrily.
  • chide — If you chide someone, you speak to them angrily because they have done something wicked or foolish.
  • find fault — a defect or imperfection; flaw; failing: a fault in the brakes; a fault in one's character.
  • give a hard time — a period of difficulties or hardship.
All 8 Synonyms of slap on the wrist

See also

Matching words

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