idiom
Let the Punishment Fit the Crime
let thuh PUN-ish-ment fit thuh krym
/lɛt ðə ˈpʌnɪʃmənt fɪt ðə kraɪm/Listen
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Syllable breakdown
letthepunishmentfitthecrime
Dictionary meaning
The punishment imposed should be proportional to the severity of the offence committed
History and origin
Popularised by Gilbert and Sullivan's comic opera The Mikado (1885); now a standard principle of proportionate sentencing
Examples
- When the judge gave a suspended sentence for the violent assault, the victim's family argued the punishment did not fit the crime.
Pronunciation tips
A condensed expression of the proportionality principle; often cited in sentencing debates
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