What does “make an example out of somebody” mean in American English?
Teacher Lays Down One Rule In Tough Classroom
B1 English listening practice · American English · Picked for people who know some
Make an example out of somebody is a common American English phrase. It means to punish one person in front of a group, so that everyone else learns from it. The teacher in this clip warns the class: “I have to make an example out of somebody.” She is saying that one student will get punished, and the rest of the class will see it and behave.
The phrase is older than American school. It comes from courts and the army, where one tough punishment was used as a warning to others. Today you’ll hear it most in teacher talk, parent talk, and any place where a leader wants people to follow the rules.
How common are the words?
How common are the words in this B1 English listening practice video?
How common in written English
How common in spoken English
Harder words in this video
These words are harder than B1. Here is what they mean.
Source: wordfreq 3.1.1 (general) · SUBTLEX-US 2012 (spoken). These numbers are close, not perfect.
- ▸In American school dramas (Lean on Me, Freedom Writers, Abbott Elementary)
- ▸In American parents talking to children
- ▸In American sports coaching speeches
- ▸In American police and court TV (Law & Order, The Wire)
- ▸In American workplace stories about strict bosses