naughty step
A place, such as a particular step on a staircase or a stool, where a child is sent to…A place, such as a particular step on a staircase or a stool, where a child is sent to sit in silence as a punishment.
Meaning
2 senses(UK)A place, such as a particular step on a staircase or a stool, where a child is sent to sit in silence as a punishment.
(UK, figuratively)A state of disgrace, exclusion from a group, or punishment as a result of a misdemeanour.
Origin
According to the Oxford English Dictionary, sense 2 (“state of disgrace, exclusion from aAccording to the Oxford English Dictionary, sense 2 (“state of disgrace, exclusion from a group, or punishment”) is attested earlier than sense 1 (“place where a child is sent to sit as a punishment”), though logically sense 2 follows from sense 1. The term was popularized by the professional nanny and author Jo Frost (born 1970) in the British television show Supernanny (first broadcast in 2004).
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Forms
plural: naughty steps| Singular | naughty step |
|---|---|
| Plural | naughty steps |
regular