Standard Lemma guide

wrist-slap

noun · verb · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A mild reprimand, especially one that many observers might consider too lenient.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable

Examples

  • Some crimes clearly warrant more than a mere wrist-slap — physically dangerous people must be removed from circulation.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To reprimand mildly.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic, transitive

Examples

  • You know the mother will probably only wrist-slap her "little angel" with a tsk-tsk. No wonder the kid is a little terror.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

14 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 輕微的懲罰 /轻微的惩罚 (qīngwēi de chéngfá) — overly mild punishment
  • Dutch: tik op de vingers — overly mild punishment
  • Finnish: näpäytys — overly mild punishment
  • Finnish: torut — overly mild punishment
  • German: but see zu milde Strafe — overly mild punishment
  • Polish: łagodna kara — overly mild punishment
  • Russian: получи́ть по рука́м (polučítʹ po rukám) — overly mild punishment
  • Russian: получи́ть по ша́пке (polučítʹ po šápke) — overly mild punishment
  • Dutch: op de vingers tikken — to reprimand mildly
  • Finnish: näpäyttää — to reprimand mildly
  • Finnish: torua — to reprimand mildly
  • Polish: karcić łagodnie — to reprimand mildly
  • Polish: skarcić łagodnie — to reprimand mildly
  • Vietnamese: giơ cao đánh khẽ — to reprimand mildly