[Idiom] putting a wimpy birch-switch to someone's behind

[JarekSteliga]

Could please someone explain the meaning of this?

 

[GoesStation]

Please post at least the complete sentence in future. Without context, it's often impossible to interpret short phrases like this one.

In this case though, I can confidently state that it means beating someone (usually a child) on the buttocks with a slender shoot from a birch tree.

 

[JarekSteliga]

Please post at least the complete sentence in future. Without context, it's often impossible to interpret short phrases like this one.

In this case though, I can confidently state that it means beating someone (usually a child) on the buttocks with a slender shoot from a birch tree.

The context can be found here http://ronpaulinstitute.org/archive.../donald-j-trump-the-empires-spanker-in-chief/
I just didn't want to set off a political debate or fall foul of the forum's rules by quoting the complete sentence.

 

[Barb_D]

It (the missile attack) inflicted no real pain. It was a "wimpy" switch.

 

[Rover_KE]

The context can be found here http://ronpaulinstitute.org/archive.../donald-j-trump-the-empires-spanker-in-chief/
I just didn't want to set off a political debate or fall foul of the forum's rules by quoting the complete sentence.

The complete sentence in which you read the phrase is exactly what we want.

What we don't want is a link to such a lengthy article with no clue about how far we have to plough through it before encountering said phrase.

 

[JarekSteliga]

The complete sentence in which you read the phrase is exactly what we want.

What we don't want is a link to such a lengthy article with no clue about how far we have to plough through it before encountering said phrase.

You can use F3 buton. I learned the trick a few days ago

 

[Rover_KE]

You can use the F3 button. We shouldn't have to.

I learned the trick a few days ago.

Please don't use a smiley to replace a standard punctuation mark.

 

[emsr2d2]

You can use F3 buton. I learned the trick a few days ago

I'm sure we could but we are much more likely to respond if you just post the entire sentence in post #1 in future.

 

[andrewg927]

Here is the full sentence: "Still, the fact that Donald Trump has now made himself a laughingstock by putting what amounted to a wimpy birch-switch to Bashar's behind, does raise a crucial question."

It means at least in the author's opinion, the missiles attack on Syria meant nothing.

I am not aware of all the forum rules but I am sure sentences like this would be just fine posted here. We are here to help you learn English, not argue if the writer is right or wrong. Hope that helps.

I am not sure which font to use, the quote changed the font automatically.

I am not a teacher.

 

[JarekSteliga]

Please don't use a smiley to replace a standard punctuation mark.

Well, you rather made me look like an individual who very preposterously (given the voluntary character of your work) wanted to MAKE you do this or that. I certainly hope I am not that type of person. The F3 buton was nothing short of friendly advice.

 

[emsr2d2]

Well, you rather made me look like an individual who very preposterously (given the voluntary character of your work) wanted to MAKE you do this or that. I certainly hope I am not that type of person. The F3 button was nothing short of friendly advice.

There's nothing wrong with using smileys in posts but, as Rover said, not in place of a punctuation mark. There would have been nothing wrong with a full stop followed by a space and then the smiley.

 

[JarekSteliga]

There's nothing wrong with using smileys in posts but, as Rover said, not in place of a punctuation mark. There would have been nothing wrong with a full stop followed by a space and then the smiley.

I understand that. Please observe that my recent post did not concern the smiley but rather exclusively the F3 button.

 

[emsr2d2]

I understand that. Please observe that my recent post did not concern the smiley but rather exclusively the F3 button.

The fact that you quoted Rover's comment about smileys led me to think that was the subject of your response.