carrot and stick

Meaning

Noun

• The simultaneous rewarding of good behavior and punishing of bad behavior.
• A promised reward to encourage good behaviour that is never actually delivered.

Origin

• From combining two ways to motivate a beast of burden, with the lure of a carrot placed just out of reach, and the threat of a stick behind.
• From a stick attached to an animal with a carrot at the far end out of reach of the animal, which will compel the animal to walk forward