car·rot
Pronounced:
/ˈkerət/
Function:
nounInflected forms:
plural car·rotsMeaning:
1 : the long orange root of a plant that is eaten as a vegetable [count] ▪ She chopped some carrots for the soup. [noncount] ▪ He added some grated carrot to the soup. —see color picture
2 [count] informal : something that is offered as a reward or advantage to persuade a person to do something ▪ The company offered a carrot in the form of additional vacation time to workers who met their deadlines. ◊This sense of carrot is often contrasted with stick, which suggests a punishment for not doing something. ▪ He'll have to choose between the carrot and the stick. ▪ The administration was criticized for its carrot-and-stick approach to foreign policy.
2 [count] informal : something that is offered as a reward or advantage to persuade a person to do something ▪ The company offered a carrot in the form of additional vacation time to workers who met their deadlines. ◊This sense of carrot is often contrasted with stick, which suggests a punishment for not doing something. ▪ He'll have to choose between the carrot and the stick. ▪ The administration was criticized for its carrot-and-stick approach to foreign policy.