slap someone on the wrist

slap someone on the wrist
slap someone on the wrist & slap someone's wrist
1.Lit. to strike someone's wrist with the open hand, as a punishment. •

Aunt Maude slapped Tony on the wrist when he grabbed a couple of her freshly baked cookies.

Tony was slapped on the wrist when he tried to swipe some cookies.

2. Fig. to administer only the mildest of punishments to someone. •

The judge did nothing but slap the mugger on the wrist.


Dictionary of American idioms. 2013.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • slap someone on the wrist — Go to slap someone’s wrist …   Dictionary of American slang and colloquial expressions

  • slap someone’s wrist — AND slap someone on the wrist tv. to administer a minor reprimand. □ The judge only slapped her wrist. □ The courts only slap them on the wrist and send them back out on the streets …   Dictionary of American slang and colloquial expressions

  • (a) slap on the wrist — a gentle warning or light punishment. I got a slap on the wrist for arriving late again. Usage notes: sometimes used in the form slap someone on the wrist: Instead of firing him, she only slapped him on the wrist …   New idioms dictionary

  • slap on the wrist — If someone gets a slap on the wrist, they get a very minor punishment when they could have been punished more severely …   The small dictionary of idiomes

  • slap on the wrist —    If someone gets a slap on the wrist, they get a very minor punishment when they could have been punished more severely.   (Dorking School Dictionary)    ***    If you get a slap on the wrist, you receive mild punishment, or you are reprimanded …   English Idioms & idiomatic expressions

  • a slap on the wrist — REPRIMAND, rebuke, reproof, scolding, admonishment; informal telling off, rap over the knuckles, dressing down; Brit. informal ticking off, wigging; Austral./NZ informal serve. → slap * * * a slap on the wrist …   Useful english dictionary

  • slap — slap1 [ slæp ] verb * 1. ) transitive to hit someone or something quickly with the palm of the hand or a flat object, making a loud noise: Then, with a resounding smack, she slapped Claudia s face. a ) intransitive to hit a surface with a sound… …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • slap — [[t]slæ̱p[/t]] slaps, slapping, slapped 1) VERB If you slap someone, you hit them with the palm of your hand. [V n] He would push or slap her once in a while... [V n adv/prep] I slapped him hard across the face... [V n adv/prep] He was slapping a …   English dictionary

  • slap — I UK [slæp] / US verb Word forms slap : present tense I/you/we/they slap he/she/it slaps present participle slapping past tense slapped past participle slapped * 1) a) [transitive] to hit someone or something quickly with the palm of the hand or… …   English dictionary

  • slap — /slæp / (say slap) noun 1. a smart blow, especially with the open hand or with something flat. 2. the sound of such a blow. 3. a sarcastic or censuring hit or rebuke. 4. Also, face slap. make up. –verb (t) (slapped, slapping) 5. to strike smartly …  

  • The Colbert Report — logo Genre Comedy, Satire, News parody …   Wikipedia

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