# "taken to the woodshed" **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 30, 2003, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taken-to-the-woodshed/172215 "2003-04-30T20:26:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19adc/32.png) [@Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2003, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taken-to-the-woodshed/172215/1 "2003-04-30T20:26:18Z")
I’ve come across this phrase twice today, and it’s got me scratching my head. I assume it’s a negative thing, but I’ve never heard of it, and must confess I don’t really understand what it’s supposed to symbolize. The only thing I’d do with a woodshed is chop wood and toss it under the roof. Does someone somewhere construct them with walls? All I’ve ever seen is four corners and a roof. My thesaurus searches have turned up bupkiss, obviously… ---
**Author:** ![whiterabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/cab0a1/32.png) [@whiterabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whiterabbit)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2003, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taken-to-the-woodshed/172215/2 "2003-04-30T20:29:18Z")
I was under the impression that in the “good old days” a misbehaving kid would be taken to the woodshed to be whipped. I can’t figure out why the woodshed, though. ---
**Author:** ![troub](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troub/32/14802_2.png) [@troub](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/troub)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2003, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taken-to-the-woodshed/172215/3 "2003-04-30T20:36:02Z")
I suppose because that’s where one would find “switches,” the long thin sticks used for such whippings. Also, so the horrible screams wouldn’t disturb others in the house. ---
**Author:** ![EasyPhil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e47c2d/32.png) [@EasyPhil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EasyPhil)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2003, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taken-to-the-woodshed/172215/4 "2003-04-30T20:42:25Z")
Musicians use this term to refer to focused sessions of practice. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2003, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taken-to-the-woodshed/172215/5 "2003-04-30T20:44:32Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by EasyPhil \* > \*\*Musicians use this term to refer to focused sessions of practice. \*\* as in, whipping it into shape… ---
**Author:** ![troub](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troub/32/14802_2.png) [@troub](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/troub)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2003, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taken-to-the-woodshed/172215/6 "2003-04-30T21:05:13Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ethilrist \* > \*\*as in, whipping it into shape… \*\* Whip it, whip it good. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![whiterabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/cab0a1/32.png) [@whiterabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whiterabbit)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2003, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taken-to-the-woodshed/172215/7 "2003-04-30T22:17:15Z")
The music usage makes sense, too. (And I didn’t really want to bring up the horrible scream part of it.) I thought switches were cut from trees just prior to the punishment, often by the punishee themselves. Heck, there are parents who still do this. Not mine, thank Og. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2003, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taken-to-the-woodshed/172215/8 "2003-05-01T00:26:36Z")
Musicians go to woodsheds because the neighbors don’t always want to hear the same eight bars ninety-two times. Not to mention the musician cussing as he muffs the same lick ninety-one times. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2003, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taken-to-the-woodshed/172215/9 "2003-05-01T02:48:08Z")
The **OED** cites woodshed as a place for punishment from 1907. The usage as a place where musicians practice is cited from the mid-'30’s. It was also used as a verb in that sense by early musicians such as Louis Armstrong. ---
**Author:** ![Dogface](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9d8465/32.png) [@Dogface](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogface)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2003, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taken-to-the-woodshed/172215/10 "2003-05-01T05:50:06Z")
“Woodshedding” among barbershoppers refers to informal singing not done in front of an audience. The premise is that we’re all out where nobody will come along and hear the clunkers.