a rap on/over/across the knuckles
idiom
informal
: criticism or punishment that is given in a gentle way for something that one did wrong
I received a rap on the knuckles for missing the meeting.
Examples of a rap on/over/across the knuckles in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The overspend was part of a much bigger French government budget deficit in 2023, which has just earned the country a rap on the knuckles from the European Union.
—
Anna Cooban, CNN, 31 July 2024
But in religion class that got you a rap on the knuckles.
—Phil Plait, Discover Magazine, 31 Dec. 2010
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Anna Cooban, CNN, 31 July 2024
But in religion class that got you a rap on the knuckles.
—Phil Plait, Discover Magazine, 31 Dec. 2010
Cite this Entry
“A rap on/over/across the knuckles.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/a%20rap%20on%2Fover%2Facross%20the%20knuckles. Accessed 12 Jul. 2025.
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