Spank
verb
To slap someone, usually a child, on their bottom as punishment.
If my kids misbehave, I never spank them.
Often appears as...
- spank a child
- threaten to spank
Usage tips
Disapproving
verb
To hit or slap something hard, making a loud noise.
He spanked the ball down the field.
Often appears as...
- spank the ball
- spank the water
Usage tips
Informal
Idiomatic
verb
To defeat someone easily.
Our team got spanked in today's match.
Often appears as...
- get spanked
- spank the opponent
Usage tips
Colloquial, Disapproving
Idiomatic
verb
To slap someone, usually a child, on their bottom as punishment.
If my kids misbehave, I never spank them.
Often appears as...
- spank a child
- threaten to spank
Usage tips
Disapproving
verb
To hit or slap something hard, making a loud noise.
He spanked the ball down the field.
Often appears as...
- spank the ball
- spank the water
Usage tips
Informal
Idiomatic
verb
To defeat someone easily.
Our team got spanked in today's match.
Often appears as...
- get spanked
- spank the opponent
Usage tips
Colloquial, Disapproving
Idiomatic
Definition 1 of 3
Pro Tip 1/3Child Discipline
Used regarding the physical discipline of children, increasingly controversial.
Some schools had policies allowing teachers to spank students for bad behavior.
Pro Tip 2/3Cultural Sensitivity
Perception varies by culture; some view it as abuse, while others accept it as normal.
In her country, parents would never spank their children, considering it harmful.
Pro Tip 3/3Emotional Connotation
Can evoke strong emotional responses; use in context with care to avoid misunderstandings.
The phrase 'might spank' at the daycare sparked a heated debate among parents.
Pro Tip 1/3Child Discipline
Used regarding the physical discipline of children, increasingly controversial.
Some schools had policies allowing teachers to spank students for bad behavior.
Pro Tip 2/3Cultural Sensitivity
Perception varies by culture; some view it as abuse, while others accept it as normal.
In her country, parents would never spank their children, considering it harmful.
Pro Tip 3/3Emotional Connotation
Can evoke strong emotional responses; use in context with care to avoid misunderstandings.
The phrase 'might spank' at the daycare sparked a heated debate among parents.
Pro Tip 1/3Child Discipline
Used regarding the physical discipline of children, increasingly controversial.
Some schools had policies allowing teachers to spank students for bad behavior.
Pro Tip 2/3Cultural Sensitivity
Perception varies by culture; some view it as abuse, while others accept it as normal.
In her country, parents would never spank their children, considering it harmful.
Pro Tip 3/3Emotional Connotation
Can evoke strong emotional responses; use in context with care to avoid misunderstandings.
The phrase 'might spank' at the daycare sparked a heated debate among parents.
Compare with
beatfloghitpaddleslapsmackstrikethrashwhack
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Video examples
What AI is -- and isn't...
Yeah. I mean, think about how you raise children. You don't spend the first 18 years giving kids a rule for every contingency and set them free and they have this big program. They stumble, fall, get up, they get slapped or spanked, and they have a positive experience, a good grade in school, and they figure it out on their own. That's happening with computers now,
Video examples
Breaking Bobby Bones...
oh my god whoa whoa whoa at the end of his rope how you feeling there everybody oh god or up a creek without a pedal he's not just going to walk a mile in their shoes he'll get him a brand spanking new pair when he's done this is your own hat no one deserves it
Video examples
What AI is -- and isn't...
Yeah. I mean, think about how you raise children. You don't spend the first 18 years giving kids a rule for every contingency and set them free and they have this big program. They stumble, fall, get up, they get slapped or spanked, and they have a positive experience, a good grade in school, and they figure it out on their own. That's happening with computers now,
Video examples
Breaking Bobby Bones...
oh my god whoa whoa whoa at the end of his rope how you feeling there everybody oh god or up a creek without a pedal he's not just going to walk a mile in their shoes he'll get him a brand spanking new pair when he's done this is your own hat no one deserves it
Example 1 of 2
Quote examples
GloZell
American Comedian
Computers shouldn't be parents, but they are. Please, spend time with your kids. If you don't want to, then I don't want to. It might hurt you to discipline your offspring, but it saves the child from being disciplined later by someone less forgiving. Like a criminal court judge. If you don't spank your child, someone else will.
Quote examples
Patricia Richardson
American Actress
Instead of yelling and spanking, which don't work anyway, I believe in finding creative ways to keep their attention - turning things into a game, for instance. And, when they do something good, positive reinforcement and praise.
Quote examples
Emo Philips
American Comedian
You don't appreciate a lot of stuff in school until you get older. Little things like being spanked every day by a middle-aged woman: Stuff you pay good money for in later life.
Quote examples
Amy Chua
American Educator
My children grew up with one Western parent. My husband doesn't believe in raising his voice with the kids and we don't spank. They were really raised in a half-Asian family.
Quote examples
Ryan Frazier
American Businessman
I was always the one pushing the envelope, stirring things up, sometimes getting in trouble. I was always the first one to get a spanking as a kid.
Quote examples
Jerry Lewis
American Comedian
If you're an old pro, you know how well you're doing when you're doing it, and your inner government spanks you if you're not doing well.
Quote examples
Phil Donahue
American Entertainer
Spanking and verbal criticism have become, to many parents, more important tools of child rearing than approval.
Quote examples
Will Durant
American Historian
Tired mothers find that spanking takes less time than reasoning and penetrates sooner to the seat of the memory.
Quote examples
Steve Bannon
American Public Servant
I've got a cure for mental health issue. Spank your children more.
Quote examples
Kenya Barris
American Producer
Honestly, I regret not having spanked my kids.
Quote examples
GloZell
American Comedian
Computers shouldn't be parents, but they are. Please, spend time with your kids. If you don't want to, then I don't want to. It might hurt you to discipline your offspring, but it saves the child from being disciplined later by someone less forgiving. Like a criminal court judge. If you don't spank your child, someone else will.
Quote examples
Patricia Richardson
American Actress
Instead of yelling and spanking, which don't work anyway, I believe in finding creative ways to keep their attention - turning things into a game, for instance. And, when they do something good, positive reinforcement and praise.
Quote examples
Emo Philips
American Comedian
You don't appreciate a lot of stuff in school until you get older. Little things like being spanked every day by a middle-aged woman: Stuff you pay good money for in later life.
Quote examples
Amy Chua
American Educator
My children grew up with one Western parent. My husband doesn't believe in raising his voice with the kids and we don't spank. They were really raised in a half-Asian family.
Quote examples
Ryan Frazier
American Businessman
I was always the one pushing the envelope, stirring things up, sometimes getting in trouble. I was always the first one to get a spanking as a kid.
Quote examples
Jerry Lewis
American Comedian
If you're an old pro, you know how well you're doing when you're doing it, and your inner government spanks you if you're not doing well.
Quote examples
Phil Donahue
American Entertainer
Spanking and verbal criticism have become, to many parents, more important tools of child rearing than approval.
Quote examples
Will Durant
American Historian
Tired mothers find that spanking takes less time than reasoning and penetrates sooner to the seat of the memory.
Quote examples
Steve Bannon
American Public Servant
I've got a cure for mental health issue. Spank your children more.
Quote examples
Kenya Barris
American Producer
Honestly, I regret not having spanked my kids.
Example 1 of 10
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