Kick

kick a habit and kick the habit to break

a habit. (Slang.) It’s hard to kick a habit,

but it can be done. I stopped biting my

nails. I used to drink coffee every morn-

ing, but I kicked the habit.

kick off 1. to start a football game by kick-

ing the ball a great distance.

kicked off in the last game. Now it’s my

turn. John tripped when he was kick-

ing off. 2. and kick the bucket to die.

(Slang. Impolite.) Don’t say that George

Washington “kicked off.” Say that he

“passed away.” My cat kicked off last

night. She was tough as a lion. When I

kick the bucket, I want a huge funeral with

lots of f lowers and crying.

kick oneself (for doing something) to regret do-

ing something. (Informal.) I could just

kick myself for going off and not locking

the car door. Now the car has been stolen.

Don’t kick yourself. It’s insured.

kick over Go to turn over.

kick something in to contribute some money

(to a cause). (Literal meaning to break

something in by kicking. Informal.)

John kicked five dollars in. T I’d be happy

to kick in a dollar, but no more.

kick something off to start something; to

start off an event. (Also literal.) They

kicked the picnic off with a footrace. T We

kicked off the party by singing rowdy

songs. T That was a great way to kick off

a weekend.

kick the bucket Go to kick off.

kick the habit Go to kick a habit.

kick up to cause trouble or discomfort.

The ignition in my car is kicking up again.

I will have to have it looked into. Aunt

Jane’s arthritis is kicking up. She needs to

see the doctor again.

kick up a fuss and kick up a row; kick

up a storm to become a nuisance; to

misbehave and disturb (someone). (In-

formal. Row rhymes with cow. Note the

variation in the examples.) The cus-

tomer kicked up such a fuss about the food

that the manager came to apologize. I

kicked up such a row that they kicked me

out. Oh, what pain! My arthritis is kick-

ing up a storm.

kick up a row Go to kick up a fuss.

kick up a storm Go to kick up a fuss.

kick up one’s heels to act frisky; to be lively

and have fun. (Informal.) I like to go to

an old-fashioned square dance and really

kick up my heels. For an old man, your

uncle is really kicking up his heels.

kill two birds with one stone to solve

two problems with one solution. John

learned the words to his part in the play

while peeling potatoes. He was killing two

birds with one stone. I have to cash a

check and make a payment on my bank

loan. I’ll kill two birds with one stone by

doing them both in one trip to the bank.

killed outright killed immediately. The

driver was killed outright in the accident.

Twenty people were killed outright in

the explosion.

a kind of (a) something a variety of some-

thing that is fairly close to the real thing,

even though it is not exactly the real

thing. (See also sort of something.) I used

a folded newspaper as a kind of hat to keep

the rain off. Bill is serving as a kind of

helper or assistant on this project.

kind of something Go to sort of something.

a kink in my neck a twisted place or a

cramp in the neck that causes pain. I

got a kink in my neck from sleeping in a

draft. When I read on the plane, I get a

kink in my neck.

kiss and make up to forgive (someone)

and be friends again. (Also literal.)

They were very angry, but in the end they

kissed and made up. I’m sorry. Let’s kiss

and make up.

kiss and tell to participate in something

secret and private, and then tell other

people about it. (Also literal.) The pro-

ject was supposed to be a secret between

Jane and me, but she spread it all around.

I didn’t think she was the type to kiss and

tell. I am willing to discuss it with you,

but only if you promise not to kiss and tell.

kit and caboodle the entire amount;

everyone; everything. (Folksy. Often with

whole.)  Everybody in the family was

there—the whole kit and caboodle. The

sheriff came and threw the crook out of

town, kit and caboodle.

kith and kin friends and relatives; people

known to someone. (Older English. Kith

means “acquaintances or neighbors”

here.) I was delighted to find all my kith

and kin waiting for me at the airport to

welcome me home. I sent cards to my

kith and kin, telling them of my arrival.

knee-high to a grasshopper not very tall;

short and small, as a child. (Folksy.)

Hello, Billy. I haven’t seen you since you

were knee-high to a grasshopper. I have

two grandchildren, both knee-high to a

grasshopper.

knew it was coming and (had) known it

was coming aware in advance that

something was to happen. I shouldn’t

act surprised. I knew it was coming. It’s

his own fault. He should have known it

was coming.

knit one’s brow to wrinkle one’s brow, es-

pecially by frowning. The woman knit

her brow and asked us what we wanted

from her. While he read his book, John

knit his brow occasionally. He must not

have agreed with what he was reading.

knock about (somewhere) to travel around;

to act as a vagabond. (Informal.) I’d

like to take off a year and knock about Eu-

rope. If you’re going to knock about, you

should do it when you’re young.

knock-down-drag-out fight a serious

fight; a serious argument. (Folksy.)

Boy, they really had a knock-down-drag-

out fight. Stop calling each other names,

or you’re going to end up with a real knock-

down-drag-out fight.

knock off work to quit work (for the day).

(Informal.) It’s time to knock off work.

It’s too early to knock off work.

knock one off one’s feet Go to sweep one

off one’s feet.

knock oneself out (to do something) to go to

a great deal of trouble to do something.

(Informal. As if one had worked oneself

into unconsciousness.) I knocked my-

self out to prepare this meal for you, and

you won’t even taste it! I don’t know why

I knock myself out to do these things for

you. You are not at all appreciative.

knock on wood <a phrase said to cancel

out imaginary bad luck.> (The same as

the British English “touch wood.”) My

stereo has never given me any trouble—

knock on wood. We plan to be in Florida

by tomorrow evening—knock on wood.

knock some heads together to scold

some people; to get some people to do

what they are supposed to be doing.

(Also literal. Slang.) If you kids don’t

quiet down and go to sleep, I’m going to

come in your room and knock some heads

together. The government is in a mess.

We need to go to Washington and knock

some heads together.

knock someone dead to put on a stunning

performance or display for someone. (In-

formal. Someone is often replaced by ’em

from them.) This band is going to do

great tonight. We’re going to knock them

dead. “See how your sister is all dressed

up!” said Bill. “She’s going to knock ’em

dead.”

knock someone down (to size) Go to beat

someone down (to size).

knock someone for a loop Go to throw some-

one for a loop.

knock someone off Go to bump someone off.

knock someone or something about Go to

knock someone or something around.

knock someone out (cold) 1. to knock

someone unconscious. (Informal.) The

blow knocked the boxer out cold. The at-

tacker knocked the old man out cold. 2. to

overwhelm someone. (Someone includes

oneself. See also knock oneself out (to do

something).) The bad news really knocked

me out.  Her story was great. It just

knocked me out cold!

knock someone over with a feather to

leave someone stunned or surprised by

something extraordinary. (Folksy.) I

was so surprised you could have knocked

me over with a feather. When she heard

the news, you could have knocked her over

with a feather.

knock someone’s block off to strike some-

one hard, especially in the head. (Slang.

The block is the head.) If you touch me

again, I’ll knock your block off. John

punched Bob so hard that he almost

knocked his block off.

knock something back Go to knock something

down.

knock something down and knock something

back to drink down a drink of some-

thing, especially something alcoholic.

(Also literal. Slang.) I don’t see how he

can knock that stuff down. T John knocked

back two beers in ten minutes.

knock something off to finish something, es-

pecially in haste or carelessly. (Also lit-

eral. Slang.) I knocked it off with the

help of Bob. T I knocked off the last chap-

ter of my book in four hours.

knock the props out from under someone

to destroy someone’s emotional, finan-

cial, or moral underpinnings; to destroy

someone’s confidence. When you told

Sally that she was due to be fired, you

really knocked the props out from under

her. I don’t want to knock the props out

from under you, but the bank is foreclos-

ing on your mortgage.

know (all) the tricks of the trade to pos-

sess the skills and knowledge necessary

to do something. Tom can repair car

engines. He knows the tricks of the trade.

If I knew all the tricks of the trade, I

could be a better plumber.

know a thing or two (about someone or

something) to be well informed about

someone or something; to know some-

thing unpleasant about someone or

something. (Informal.) I know a thing

or two about cars. I know a thing or two

about Mary that would really shock you.

know a trick or two to know some special

way of dealing with a problem. I think

I can handle all of this with no trouble. I

know a trick or two. I may be a senior

citizen, but I still know a trick or two. I

think I can help you with this.

know better (than to do something) to be

wise enough, experienced enough, or

well trained enough not to have done

something wrong. Mary should have

known better than to accept a lift from a

stranger. Children should know better

than to play in the road.

know-how knowledge and skill. (Infor-

mal.) Peter doesn’t have the know-how

to mend that car. Mary hasn’t the know-

how to work the computer.

know one’s onions Go to know one’s stuff.

know one’s place to know the behavior ap-

propriate to one’s position or status in

life. (See also put one in one’s place.) I

know my place. I won’t speak unless spo-

ken to. People around here are expected

to know their place. You have to follow all

the rules.

know one’s stuff and know one’s onions

to know what one is expected to know;

to know what is needed. (Informal or

slang. See also know the score.) I know

my stuff. I can do my job. She can’t han-

dle the assignment. She doesn’t know her

onions.

know one’s way about Go to know one’s

way around.

know one’s way around and know one’s

way about to know the techniques of

getting something done, especially in a

bureaucracy. (Also literal.) Sally can

get the job done. She knows her way

around. Since Sally worked at city hall

for a year, she really knows her way about.

know someone by sight to know the name

and recognize the face of someone. I’ve

never met the man, but I know him by

sight. BOB: Have you ever met Mary?

JANE: No, but I know her by sight.

know someone or something like a book Go

to know someone or something like the palm

of one’s hand.

know someone or something like the back of

one’s hand Go to know someone or something

like the palm of one’s hand.

know something backwards and forwards

and know something forwards and

backwards to know something very

well; to know a passage of language so

well that one could recite it backwards

as well as forwards. Of course I’ve

memorized my speech. I know it back-

wards and forwards. Todd knows the

skeletal structure of the frog backwards

and forwards.

know something by heart to know some-

thing perfectly; to have memorized

something perfectly. I know my speech

by heart. I went over and over it until

I knew it by heart.

know something forwards and backwards

Go to know something backwards and

forwards.

know something from memory to have

memorized something so that one does

not have to consult a written version; to

know something well from seeing it very

often. (Almost the same as know something

by heart.) Mary didn’t need the script

because she knew the play from memory.

The conductor went through the entire

concert without music. He knew it from

memory.

know something in one’s bones Go to feel

something in one’s bones.

know something inside out to know some-

thing thoroughly; to know about some-

thing thoroughly. (Informal.) I know

my geometry inside out. I studied and

studied for my driver’s test until I knew the

rules inside out.

know the ropes to know how to do some-

thing. (Informal. See also learn the

ropes.) I can’t do the job because I don’t

know the ropes. Ask Sally to do it. She

knows the ropes.

know the score and know what’s what

to know the facts; to know the facts about

life and its difficulties. (Also literal. In-

formal.) Bob is so naive. He sure doesn’t

know the score. I know what you’re try-

ing to do. Oh, yes, I know what’s what.

know what’s what Go to know the score.

know where all the bodies are buried to

know all the secrets and intrigue; to

know all the important details. He is

a good choice for president because he

knows where all the bodies are buried.

Since he knows where all the bodies are

buried, he is the only one who can advise

us.

know whereof one speaks to know well

the subject that one is speaking about.

You are wrong! You do not know whereof

you speak.  He simply doesn’t know

whereof he speaks.

know where someone stands (on someone

or something) to know what someone

thinks or feels about someone or some-

thing. I don’t know where John stands

on this issue. I don’t even know where I

stand.

know which is which and tell which is

which to be able to distinguish one per-

son or thing from another person or

thing. I have an old one and a new one,

but I don’t know which is which. I know

that Bill and Bob are twins, but I can’t tell

which is which.

a known fact something that is generally

recognized as a fact. That grass is green

is a known fact. It is a known fact that

John was in Chicago on the night of the

murder.

known it was coming Go to knew it was

coming.

knuckle down (to something) to get busy

doing something; to get serious about

one’s work. (Informal.) It’s time you

knuckled down to your studies.

must knuckle down if she wants to be suc-

cessful at the office.

knuckle under (to someone or something) to

submit to someone or something; to yield

or give in to someone or something. (In-

formal.) You have to knuckle under to

your boss if you expect to keep your job.

I’m too stubborn to knuckle under.