stick
- noun
- /stɪk/
- In negotiations, you will often find that a balance of sticks and carrots yields the best results.
- carrot and stick
- carrot-and-stick policy
- carrot-and-stick approach
You need to be able to have carrots and sticks for both of them.
- You need to be able to have carrots and sticks for both of them.
- Look, I'm negotiating with a carrot and stick approach.
- Lincoln mixes sticks and carrots with the British.
- He thought we should have more carry a big stick, use it type thing.
- It will be used as as as I'm afraid, yet another stick to beat people with.
- They they need to have both carrot and stick.
Examples
-
So the government has the stick, they have the carrot.
-
You need to be able to have carrots and sticks for both of them.
-
Look, I'm negotiating with a carrot and stick approach.
-
The congressional majority reacted to these issues with a "carrot and stick" set of policies.
Academic text (2001) -
Unconditional engagement is all carrots, no sticks; unconditional disengagement, all sticks, no carrots.
Academic text (2008) -
The manager used the stick approach when employees repeatedly ignored the new policy.
-
The teacher decided to use a stick for encouraging students to follow the rules in class.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Idioms
To take a risk by saying or doing something that may get you in trouble
- Informal
To feel angry or bitter about something unfair that you cannot forget
Stay alert and ready to move, like resting a hockey stick on the ice
- Informal
Say or do something on purpose to hurt someone who is already in trouble
- Informal
Give full attention to your own work and skills, not other people's tasks
- Informal
Push away a lot of people or fans as a joke about being too popular
- Informal
To end up by chance with an unpleasant task or in a worse position
- Informal
A joking way to say something is very unpleasant or painful
- Offensive
To let strong, uncontrolled feelings make your life worse
- Informal
To suddenly understand something you should have noticed earlier
- Offensive
A shout people say when they are very surprised or do not believe something
To have sex or start a romantic relationship with someone who is emotionally unstable and likely to cause trouble
- Informal
To get involved in other people's business when they do not ask for help
Compounds
A very simple drawing of a person using a circle for the head and lines for body, arms and legs
- Offensive
A person who prefers the usual way of doing things and does not accept new ideas
- Slang
A pretend object used to give someone a very clear hint about something they missed
- Specialized
A stick of dried plant leaves that people burn near the skin to give warmth in East Asian medicine
- Archaic
A short cane carried by army officers to show who is in charge or for ceremonies
- Specialized
A stick made from dried mugwort leaves that therapists burn near the skin for traditional heat therapy
How Severe
Surface Forms
Etymology
Stick meaning a threat or punishment comes from the simple tool: a real stick used to hit or punish someone. So 'the stick' became the idea of a penalty used to force people to obey, opposite the 'carrot' reward.