Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary - carrot

(carrots) 1. Carrots are long, thin, orange-coloured vegetables. They grow under the ground, and have green shoots above the ground. N-VAR 2. Something that is offered to people in order to persuade them to do something can be referred to as a carrot. Something that is meant to persuade people not to do something can be referred to in the same sentence as a ‘stick’. They will be set targets, with a carrot of extra cash and pay if they achieve them... Why the new emphasis on sticks instead of diplomatic carrots? = incentive N-COUNT see also carrot and stick