trip to the woodshed

English

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.[1]

Pronunciation
  • Audio (AU)(file)

Noun

trip to the woodshed (plural trips to the woodshed)

  1. (chiefly US, idiomatic) An occasion on which a reprimand or punishment is administered privately.
    • 1948 December 13, “Sweet Reasonableness”, in Time:
      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.

See also

References
  1. Safire, William (1981 December 13) “On Language By William Safire: Woodshed Blues”, in The New York Times‎, retrieved 8 November 2020, page 16
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