slap on the wrist

present singular third person slaps on the wrist · participle present slapping on the wrist · participle past slapped on the wrist · past slapped on the wrist

1. Synonym of wrist-slap.

   1 more example

   Gorbachev played a skillful diplomatic game in Asia. While enhancing Soviet relations with South Korea—moving from no ties to full diplomatic relations in only three years— he continued to back North Korea, though slapping its leader on the wrist for its nuclear program. While Soviet trade with South Korea will rise from $85 million in 1985 to an estimated $1 billion in 1995, Moscow continued to provide $1 billion in aid to North Korea and to equip the 1.1 million troops in its armed forces with Soviet weapons.

   1992, Richard Nixon, “The Pacific Triangle”, in Seize the Moment, Simon & Schuster, →ISBN, →LCCN, →OCLC, page 189

   Synonyms: wrist-slap

2. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see slap, wrist.

plural slaps on the wrist · plural slaps on wrists

1. Synonym of wrist-slap.

   He got a slap on the wrist, but I don't think he'll reform.

   1 more example

   Although he permitted "slap on the wrist" against the procurement personnel who misprocured on the basis of incorrect technical information, he did nothing against those technical personnel who "perpetrated misconceptions" and disseminated "statements which were inaccurate, unproven, inconsistent" and who were "biased against JRL interests" and who thus misled these procurement personnel.

   1983, United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Governmental Affairs, Management of the Department of Defense, page 29

   Synonyms: wrist-slap

2. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see slap, wrist.