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to dangle a carrot in front of somebody
to dangle a carrot in front of somebody
01
to make someone excited about doing something by promising them a reward
Idiom
Informal
What is the origin of the idiom "dangle a carrot in front of someone" and when to use it?
The idiom "dangle a carrot in front of someone" is believed to have originated in the 16th century. The first known written record of the phrase is in a book called "Proverbs in English" by John Heywood, which was published in 1546. This expression is still commonly used in a negative way to describe someone who is being manipulated or motivated to do something that they may not want to do.
Examples
The company dangled a carrot in front of its employees by offering them a promotion if they met certain sales targets.
