na. | 1. bearing the rod and willingly taking the punishment -- to offer a humble apology; bare one's back to be threshed -- to show contrition; bring a rod on one's back and ask for punishment; carry a rod and ask to be spanked; carry a rod on one's back and ask for punishment; make a humble apology; make an abject apology; make to apologize for wrongdoing; the deepest possible apology one can make to another |