crack the whip

American  

[krak-thuh wip, hwip] / ˈkræk ðə ˈwɪp, ˈʰwɪp /

verb (used without object)

1. to demand obedience, hard work, or efficiency from others in a harsh or stern manner.

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noun

1. Also called snap the whip.  a game in which players in a line, each holding the next, run, roller-skate, or ice-skate for a distance until the leader veers suddenly in a new direction, causing the rest of the line to swing around rapidly and the players at the end of the line to lose their balance or to let go of the other players.

crack the whip Idioms  

1. Behave in a domineering and demanding way toward one's subordinates. For example, He's been cracking the whip ever since he got his promotion. This expression, first recorded in 1647, alludes to drivers of horse-drawn wagons who snapped their whips hard, producing a loud cracking noise. Its figurative use dates from the late 1800s.

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Etymology

Origin of crack the whip

First recorded in 1885–90

Example Sentences

“Gazing wistfully at my future home while I wait for James to crack the whip on the contractors and herd the cats,” Saylor wrote.

From Washington Post • Nov. 14, 2022

"Before she could say you're not going on TV ... But now she can't crack the whip like a prime minister normally does," the veteran Conservative said.

From Reuters • Jul. 5, 2017

It might be folklore, but there are tales of Romar, after games in which he felt the team played too soft for his liking, letting Dollar crack the whip in practice.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 13, 2017

No surprise to learn that Wags is a friend, but the office doesn’t really need two Wagses to crack the whip on wavering staffers.

From New York Times • Feb. 24, 2017

The game, as Eisman saw it, was crack the whip.

From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis

Related Words

• absolute
• arbitrary
• arrogant
• autocratic
• dogmatic
• domineering
• haughty
• imperious
• oppressive
• overbearing
• totalitarian