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crack the whip

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crack the whip

to use your authority to cause people to do more or do what you want He is one editor who knows how to crack the whip, so his authors generally hand in their assignments on time.

See also: crack, whip

crack the whip

to use your authority to make someone work harder, usually by threatening or punishing them

Usage notes: A whip is a piece of leather or rope fastened to a stick which you hit a horse with in order to make it go faster.

We were already three months behind schedule so I thought it was time to crack the whip.

See also: crack, whip

crack the whip

Behave in a domineering and demanding way toward one's subordinates. For example, He's been cracking the whip ever since he got his promotion. This expression, first recorded in 1647, alludes to drivers of horse-drawn wagons who snapped their whips hard, producing a loud cracking noise. Its figurative use dates from the late 1800s.

See also: crack, whip

crack the whip

To behave in a domineering manner; demand hard work and efficiency from those under one's control.

See also: crack, whip