trip to the woodshed en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- (Australia) audio
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.
Meanings
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(US, idiomatic) An occasion on which a reprimand or punishment is administered privately.
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.
1948 December 13, “Sweet Reasonableness”, in Time:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| trips to the woodshed | Number=Plur | lexicographic |