kick around

[kik] Origin

kick

[kik]
verb (used with object)
1.
to strike with the foot or feet: to kick the ball; to kick someone in the shins.
2.
to drive, force, make, etc., by or as if by kicks.
3.
Football. to score (a field goal or a conversion) by place-kicking or drop-kicking the ball.
4.
Informal. to make (a car) increase in speed, especially in auto racing: He kicked his car into high gear.
5.
to strike in recoiling: The gun kicked his shoulder.
EXPAND
6.
Slang. to give up or break (a drug addiction): Has he kicked the habit?
7.
Poker. raise (def. 24).
8.
Chiefly South Atlantic States. to reject as a suitor; jilt: He courted her for two years—then she kicked him.
COLLAPSE
verb (used without object)
9.
to make a rapid, forceful thrust with the foot or feet: He kicked at the ball. You have to kick rapidly when using a crawl stroke.
10.
to have a tendency to strike with the foot or feet: That horse kicks when you walk into his stall.
11.
Informal. to resist, object, or complain: What's he got to kick about?
12.
to recoil, as a firearm when fired.
13.
to be actively or vigorously involved: He's still alive and kicking.
EXPAND
14.
kick upstairs. upstairs (def. 8).
COLLAPSE

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Kick around is always a great word to know.
So is slumgullion. Does it mean:
a chattering or flighty, light-headed person.
a stew of meat, vegetables, potatoes, etc.
noun
15.
the act of kicking; a blow or thrust with the foot or feet.
16.
power or disposition to kick: That horse has a mean kick.
17.
Informal. an objection or complaint.
18.
Informal.
a.
thrill; pleasurable excitement: His biggest kick comes from telling about the victory.
b.
a strong but temporary interest, often an activity: Making mobiles is his latest kick.
19.
Informal.
a.
a stimulating or intoxicating quality in alcoholic drink.
b.
vim, vigor, or energy.
EXPAND
20.
Football.
a.
an instance of kicking the ball.
b.
any method of kicking the ball: place kick.
c.
a kicked ball.
d.
the distance such a ball travels.
e.
a turn at kicking the ball.
21.
a recoil, as of a gun.
22.
Slang. a pocket: He kept his wallet in his side kick.
23.
kicks, Slang. shoes (def. 1).
24.
Glassmaking.
a.
a solid glass base or an indentation at the base of drinking glasses, bottles, etc., that reduces the liquid capacity of the glassware.
b.
Also, punt. an indentation at the base of a wine bottle, originally for trapping the sediment.
COLLAPSE
25.
kick about, to move from place to place frequently: He kicked about a good deal before settling down.
26.
kick around, Informal.
a.
to treat (someone) harshly or inconsiderately.
b.
to consider, discuss, or speculate about (a proposal, project, etc.): We kicked around various ideas for raising money.
c.
to experiment with.
d.
to pass time idly; wander from place to place aimlessly: We just kicked around for a year after college.
e.
to remain unused, unemployed, or unnoticed: The script has been kicking around for years.
27.
kick back,
a.
to recoil, especially vigorously or unexpectedly.
b.
Informal. to give someone a kickback.
c.
Slang. to return (stolen property, money, etc.) to the owner.
d.
to relax: Let's just kick back and enjoy the weekend.
28.
kick in,
a.
to contribute one's share, especially in money.
b.
Slang. to die.
c.
to become operational; activate; go into effect: The air conditioning kicks in when the temperature reaches 80°F.
29.
kick off,
a.
Football. to begin play or begin play again by a kickoff: The Giants won the toss and elected to kick off.
b.
Slang. to die.
c.
to initiate (an undertaking, meeting, etc.); begin: A rally tomorrow night will kick off the campaign.
EXPAND
30.
kick on, to switch on; turn on: He kicked on the motor and we began to move.
31.
kick out, Informal.
a.
to oust or eject: They have been kicked out of the country club.
b.
to fail; give out: The power kicked out and the room went black.
c.
to separate off, as for review or inspection: The computer kicked out the information in a split second.
d.
Surfing. to turn a surfboard by shifting the weight to the rear, causing the surfboard to come down over the top of a wave, in order to stop a ride.
32.
kick over, Informal. (of an internal-combustion engine) to begin ignition; turn over: The engine kicked over a few times but we couldn't get it started.
33.
kick up,
a.
to drive or force upward by kicking.
b.
to stir up (trouble); make or cause (a disturbance, scene, etc.): They kicked up a tremendous row.
c.
(especially of a machine part) to move rapidly upward: The lever kicks up, engaging the gear.
COLLAPSE
34.
kick ass, Slang: Vulgar.
a.
to act harshly or use force in order to gain a desired result.
b.
to defeat soundly.
35.
kick in the ass, Slang: Vulgar. kick (def. 39a).
36.
kick in the pants, Informal.
a.
someone or something that is very exciting, enjoyable, amusing, etc.: I think you'll like her, she's a real kick in the pants.
b.
kick (def. 40).
37.
kick in the teeth, an abrupt, often humiliating setback; rebuff: Her refusal even to talk to me was a kick in the teeth.
38.
kick over the traces. trace2 (def. 3).
EXPAND
39.
kick the bucket, Slang. bucket (def. 15).
40.
kick the tin, Australian. to give a donation; contribute.
COLLAPSE

Origin:
1350–1400; Middle English kiken (v.); origin uncertain

kick·a·ble, adjective
kick·less, adjective
out·kick, verb (used with object)
o·ver·kick, verb (used with object)


1. boot. 11. remonstrate; oppose. 11, 17. grumble, growl, grouch, moan; protest.

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
Cite This Source Link To kick around
Collins
World English Dictionary
kick about or kick around
 
vb
1.  (tr) to treat harshly
2.  (tr) to discuss (ideas, etc) informally
3.  (intr) to wander aimlessly
4.  (intr) to lie neglected or forgotten
5.  (intr; also preposition) to be present in (some place)
 
n
6.  an informal game of soccer
 
kick around or kick around
 
vb
 
n

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History

kick
c.1380, "to strike out with the foot" (earliest in biblical phrase now usually rendered as kick against the pricks), of uncertain origin, perhaps from O.N. kikna "bend backwards, sink at the knees." Fig. sense of "complain, protest, rebel against" (1388) probably is from the Bible verse. Slang sense
EXPAND
of "die" is attested from 1725 (kick the wind was slang for "be hanged," 1598; see also bucket). Meaning "to end one's drug habit" is from 1936. To kick oneself in self-reproach is from 1891. The noun is first recorded 1530. Meaning "recoil (of a gun) when fired" is from 1826. Meaning "surge or fit of pleasure" (often as kicks) is from 1941; originally lit., "stimulation from liquor or drugs" (1844). The kick "the fashion" is c.1700. Kick-off is from 1857 as the first kick in a football match; fig. sense of "start, beginning event" is from 1875. Kickback "illegal or improper payment" is from 1934. Kickboxing first recorded 1971.
COLLAPSE
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
Slang Dictionary

kick (off) definition


  1. in.
    to die. : We've been waiting for years for that cat to kick off.
Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions by Richard A. Spears.Fourth Edition.
Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
Cite This Source

knock around definition


  1. in.
    to waste time. : Stop knocking around and get to work!
  2. in.
    and kick around. to wander around; to bum around. : I think I'll kick around a few months before looking for another job.
Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions by Richard A. Spears.Fourth Edition.
Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
Cite This Source
American Heritage
Idioms & Phrases

kick around

  1. Treat badly, abuse, as in I'm sick and tired of being kicked around by my supervisor. [Colloquial; first half of 1900s]

  2. Also, kick about. Move from place to place, as in They spent three years kicking around the country on their bikes, or We've no address; we're just kicking about until we find somewhere to settle. [Colloquial; early 1800s]

  3. Also, kick about. Consider, think about or discuss; examine or try out. For example, Let's kick this scenario around for a while and see what we come up with, or We've been kicking about various schemes to make money. [Colloquial; first half of 1900s]

  4. Be available or unused, as in This old computer has been kicking around for monthsno one seems to want it. [c. 1900]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
Cite This Source
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