carrot

Universal Words noun 1 [U,C] a long pointed orange root vegetable: grated carrot * a pound of carrots 2 [C] a reward promised to sb in order to persuade them to do sth: They are holding out a carrot of $120 million in economic aid. * It's a big carrot he's dangling in front of Marler's nose. IDIOMS the carrot and (the) stick (approach) if you use the carrot and stick approach, you persuade sb to try harder by offering them a reward if they do, or a punishment if they do not: The emphasis is on the carrot of incentive rather than the stick of taxes.