spare the rod and spoil the child

1. Discipline is necessary for good upbringing, as in She lets Richard get away with anything—spare the rod, you know. This adage appears in the Bible (Proverbs 13:24) and made its way into practically every proverb collection. It originally referred to corporal punishment. It is still quoted, often in shortened form, and today does not necessarily mean physical discipline.

Example Sentences

In a more recent New York Times essay, writer Maud Newton said that she associated the word with her father, who "defended slavery, demanded the subservience of women and adhered to 'spare the rod and spoil the child.'"

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After all, as the Bible says, spare the rod and spoil the child.

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The leaders defended their philosophy based on the scripture “spare the rod and spoil the child”.

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"Strenuous physical training and beatings by the ashans were the hallmark of Kathakali training, to some extent till the late 1970s. The basic rule was to 'not spare the rod and spoil the child'. "Absolute and unquestioning discipline was expected of students.

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Spare the rod and spoil the child; spank the child and go to jail.

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