Definition of "carrot" []

• A biennial Eurasian plant (Daucus carota subsp. sativus) in the parsley family, widely cultivated as an annual for its edible taproot. (noun)
• The usually tapering, elongate, fleshy orange root of this plant, eaten as a vegetable. (noun)
• Queen Anne's lace. (noun)
• A reward offered for desired behavior; an inducement: "The U.S. should use a moratorium on SDI development as a carrot to bring an acceptable offensive arms limitation” ( C. Peter Gall). (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "This can be dealt with by streaming, separation and big sticks - the carrot is a good job after all the hard work and pain."
• "The judge, standing in the role of stern and concerned father, holds what he calls the carrot and the hammer over defendants."
• "But what they call a carrot, town leaders see as a stick: The more autonomy you exercise, the less money you get."