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A slap on the wrist

A slap on the wrist

Meaning

A mild rebuke, often given when a more severe punishment might be expected.

Examples

Those muggers should get a jail term but these days they’ll probably just get a fine and a slap on the wrist.

Where did it originate?

USA.

Where is it used?

Worldwide.

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About the Author

Gary Martin is a writer and researcher on the origins of phrases and the creator of the Phrase Finder website. Over the past 26 years more than 700 million of his pages have been downloaded by readers. He is one of the most popular and trusted sources of information on phrases and idioms.

Gary Martin

Writer and researcher on the origins of phrases and the creator of the Phrase Finder website. Over the past 26 years more than 700 million of his pages have been downloaded by readers. He is one of the most popular and trusted sources of information on phrases and idioms.
A slap on the wrist

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