[offer] {sb} a carrot
1
to make effort to convince an individual to do something for one by offering a reward for their action
The idiom “offer someone a carrot” is thought to have originated from the practice of donkey trainers using carrots to entice donkeys to move forward. Donkeys are naturally stubborn animals, and trainers would often dangle a carrot in front of a donkey's face to encourage it to walk. Over time, this phrase came to be used more figuratively to mean to give someone an inspiration to do something.
- The manager offered the salesman a carrot in the form of a bonus if he could close the deal.
- The teacher offered the students a carrot of extra recess if they could all answer their questions correctly.
- The parents offered their children a carrot of a trip to the zoo if they would clean their rooms.
- The company offered its employees a carrot of a profit-sharing plan if they could meet their sales goals.
- The politician offered the voters a carrot of lower taxes if they would vote for him.