coventry

Everyday

1. (a place name) Coventry, a city in the West Midlands of England. tree →
2. (UK, idiom) Send someone to Coventry: to refuse to speak to someone on purpose, as a group, to punish or leave them out. tree →

In the lessons

In history lessons, Coventry is known for the legend of Lady Godiva, its medieval cathedral bombed in the Blitz in 1940, and the new cathedral built beside the ruins as a symbol of peace and reconciliation; Coventry is twinned with Stalingrad (now Volgograd) and Dresden. In PSHE lessons, «sending someone to Coventry» is a form of bullying by leaving someone out, which is unkind. Phrases: «send someone to Coventry», «Coventry Cathedral».

Examples

• Coventry is a city in the middle of England. tree →
• The old Coventry Cathedral was bombed in 1940. tree →
• The ruins of Coventry Cathedral now stand for peace and forgiveness. tree →
• The other girls sent her to Coventry and wouldn't speak to her. tree →
• Sending someone to Coventry is a kind of bullying. tree →
• Coventry once made bicycles and cars. tree →

Note

Always a capital C. Said «KOV-en-tree» (UK). The idiom is British; nobody is sure where it came from, so stories about its origin may not be true. Ignoring someone on purpose as a group is hurtful; tell a trusted adult if it happens to you.