spanking

spanking — noun

1. a punishment where a person is hit repeatedly on the buttocks with an open hand,

1.nounB1
Definition

a punishment where a person is hit repeatedly on the buttocks with an open hand, especially to discipline a child

Example

Feng threw a tantrum in the shop, so his mother gave him a spanking.

give someone a spanking — common verb + noun pattern

Many parents today believe that a spanking does not help children learn right from wrong.

a spanking — used as countable noun; subject of a clause

Common collocations
  • give someone a spanking
  • get a spanking
  • deserve a spanking
  • receive a spanking
Synonyms
  • smacking

    chiefly British; refers to the same action but often implies a lighter, less formal punishment

  • paddling

    North American term for striking with a paddle rather than the hand; usually more severe

Antonyms
  • reward

    a positive reinforcement used instead of punishment

Usage Note

Most commonly used with the verb 'give': 'give someone a spanking'. The practice of spanking children has become increasingly controversial in recent decades, and many parenting experts advise against it.

Common Mistakes

She spanked his spanking.
She gave him a spanking.
'Spanking' is the punishment itself, not the object of the verb 'spank'.
He got spank.
He got a spanking.
The noun form must include the -ing ending; 'spank' alone is only a verb.

spanking — adjective

spanking — adverb

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

'Spanking', 'smacking', and 'paddling' all refer to striking someone on the bottom as punishment, but they differ in instrument and region. 'Spanking' is the most widely understood English term for hitting a child's bottom with an open hand. 'Smacking' is the preferred term in British English for the same action but is less common in North America. 'Paddling' specifically involves using a paddle (a flat wooden implement) and is associated with school discipline in parts of the United States. 'Corporal punishment' is the broadest term, covering all forms of physical punishment (including spanking, paddling, and caning) and is formal rather than everyday language. Example: 'When I was young, I got a spanking for talking back' (general, informal). 'The school still uses paddling for serious rule violations' (US-specific, more severe). 'Smacking children is illegal in Scotland' (British legal context).

spanking ↗smackingpaddlingcorporal punishment

Etymology

English

The noun 'spanking' comes from the verb 'spank', which first appeared in English around the 1720s. The word may have been created to imitate the sharp sound of a slap. The adjective and adverb uses ('spanking pace', 'spanking new') developed in the 1800s, possibly from the idea of something moving so fast that it seems to 'strike' the air, or from the energetic quality of a sharp slap.