WordGarden.iofrogmarch
Pronunciation
UK
- /ˈfrɒɡˌmɑːtʃ/
US
- /ˈfrɑɡˌmɑrtʃ/
Meanings
Verb
to force someone to walk somewhere while holding their arms
to force or pressure someone into doing something
Noun
an act of forcing someone to walk somewhere while holding their arms
Beyond the definition
Imagine someone being dragged along in a rough, humiliating way. The image comes from the way a person carried face-down by their arms and legs can look like a frog. Originally, it was a 19th-century method used by the police and the military to move difficult prisoners. Now, "frogmarching" usually means forcing someone to go somewhere against their will, often in public. You might see security guards frogmarching a disruptive protester out of a building, or a parent frogmarching a reluctant child away from a toy store. It suggests that the person being moved has no control and very little dignity.
The term "frogmarch" evokes a vivid and often uncomfortable image: someone being forcibly escorted—or more accurately, compelled to walk—by others who hold their arms pinned behind them or grip them firmly by the elbows. The origin lies in historical police and military practice. Originally, it involved carrying a person face-down with a person holding each limb, making the prisoner resemble a frog. Over time, the term evolved to describe forcing a person to walk forward while their arms are held fast.
Today, "frogmarch" is rarely used in a literal military context, but it has become a powerful figurative expression for any situation where someone is compelled to go somewhere against their will, especially when accompanied by public humiliation. This could involve security personnel ejecting a heckler from a venue, or a high-profile figure being led away by police in front of news cameras.
The key element of a frogmarch is the lack of consent and the visible struggle or powerlessness of the person being moved. It's not simply escorting someone; it's compelling them to move in a way that suggests they are powerless to resist. You might read about a disgraced executive being "frogmarched" out of their office after a scandal, or see footage of activists being "frogmarched" away from a site of civil disobedience. Because of this, the term carries a strong connotation of forceful control, physical dominance, and public shaming.
Examples
- 1
Security removal
Two security guards frogmarched the protester out of the hall.
- 2
School discipline
After the fight, the teacher frogmarched both boys into the principal's office.
- 3
Public pressure
The minister said he would not be frogmarched into an apology by the tabloids.
- Patternfrogmarch someone into + action/situation
force someone to do it in a humiliating or aggressive way
See also
Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- frogmarchverb