kick butt


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kick butt

1. verb, slang To defeat someone or something decisively. In this usage, a noun or pronoun is used between "kick" and "butt." We weren't prepared for that game, and the other team kicked our butts.
2. verb, slang To physically attack one; to beat one up. In this usage, a noun or pronoun is used between "kick" and "butt." I'll kick your butt if I ever see you talking to my girlfriend again.
3. verb, slang To be very effective or successful. In this usage, a noun or pronoun is not used between "kick" and "butt." This new strategy is really kicking butt and keeping the groundhogs away from my vegetable garden!
4. verb, slang To be excellent or exceptional. That movie kicked butt! All movies should be like that!
5. verb, slang To motivate one or shock one out of complacency. In this usage, a noun or pronoun is used between "kick" and "butt." The professor's speech today kind of kicked my butt and made me realize I need to start applying myself.
6. adjective, slang Excellent or exceptional; awesome. In this usage, the phrase is hyphenated. That was a pretty kick-butt roller coaster.
See also: butt, kick
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2022 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

kick (some/somebody’s) ˈass/ˈbutt

(taboo, slang, American English) act in a very firm, controlling or aggressive manner: Now let’s kick some butt! ▶ ˈkick-ass adj. (taboo, slang, American English) very good: a kick-ass rock band
See also: ass, butt, kick
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017

kick butt

verb
See kick ass
See also: butt, kick
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

kick ass/butt

Enforce one’s authority, strongly assert oneself. Both versions of this vulgar term seem to have originated in the mid-1900s in the military, where they meant to defeat overwhelmingly, and soon entered the civilian vocabulary. The latter, only slightly more polite, was used by President George H.W. Bush during the Persian Gulf War, when he referred to “kicking a little you-know-what” (cited by Paul Dickson).
See also: ass, butt, kick
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer Copyright © 2013 by Christine Ammer
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References in periodicals archive ?
The students from Shepherd Hill who participated in Kick Butts Day are members of the school's Students Against Destructive Decisions chapter.
Kick Butts Day
Rhys Simmons, Youth Development officer at the Filter said: "Kick Butts Day is about empowering young people to have the confidence to just say 'no' to smoking and protest against the way they're targeted by the tobacco industry.
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"(Kick Butts Day) is a day to stand out, speak up and seize control in the fight against tobacco," according to the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.
The Kick Butts Day Web site includes information on planning activities, facts on tobacco use and downloadable activity guides.
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The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids and Scholastic have teamed up to bring you this poster and guide for Kick Butts Day 2005.
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Today, known as "Kick Butts Day," is a national day of activism designed to empower students to stand up, speak out and engage against tobacco use, according to an EHD news release.
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Celebrate that happy stat on April 13, 2005, the 10th anniversary of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids' Kick Butts Day.
Butt out!
The student activities inside are four effective ways for your students to take action and get noticed on Kick Butts Day.
Help your students take action
That's why your child's school is taking part in Kick Butts Day--to help kids take a stand against tobacco through activities that expose the tobacco industry's schemes, and to help kids say "no" to tobacco.
Dear parent or guardian
Kick Butts Day www.kickbuttsday.org The Kick Butts Bay Web site is your resource to create your own KBD activity, and to stay involved in the fight against Big Tobacco throughout the year.
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