to kick up one's heels

Examples

• All

• I'd enjoy a gay night out, kicking up my heels.

  Fiction book (2001)

• And what of my feckless wife, Sylvia, who is not above kicking up her heels with strangers?

  Fiction book (1995)

• - We're definitely kicking up our heels tonight, but...

  A Home of Our Own (1993)

• Kick up your heels and enjoy the barbecue!

  Vertical Limit (2000)

• BRONCO BILLY: We kicked up our heels last night.

  Bronco Billy (1980)

• You think I'm going to kick up my heels all night to amuse you?

  Captain from Castile (1947)

• You're kicking up your heels a little, aren't you, Joey?

  Cujo (1983)

• Millie continued, "All of us gals have to get out there on that runway and kick up our heels."

  Fiction book (1993)

• I did most of my fightin' in Belgium, military-wise... but I kicked up my heels in France a time or two.

  Daddy and Them (2001)

• Is everyone ready to kick up your heels for some barn-bustin' Stepford high steppin'?

  The Stepford Wives (2004)

Synonyms

H

to have a ball

vsto kick up one's heels

• Informal

31 6.5

Enjoy yourself a lot

is more about lively carefree celebration than simple private pleasure

L

to live it up

vsto kick up one's heels

• Informal

27 7.2

Enjoy yourself in a lively, often expensive way at parties or restaurants

is the general idea of enjoying without stress, not always extravagant

G

to get one's groove on

vsto kick up one's heels

• Informal

6 8.6

Enjoy yourself by dancing with a lot of energy

is the general carefree celebration that may not involve dancing

G

to get on up

vsto kick up one's heels

• Informal

4 6.8

Stand up and start moving to dance or join in

is about enjoying in a lively carefree way rather than physical rising

W

to whoop it up

vsto kick up one's heels

• Informal

3 8.8

To celebrate loudly with cheering and noisy fun

is about lively carefree enjoyment without emphasis on loud noise

G

to get jiggy

vsto kick up one's heels

• Slang

3 9.9

To dance in a lively, playful way

is broader, covering lively carefree fun not only dancing

P

pickin' and grinnin'

vsto kick up one's heels

• Informal

9.9

People play music and smile together in a happy, relaxed way

is broader fun without focusing on music or playing

G

to get one's kicks

vsto kick up one's heels

• Informal

8.4

To enjoy something because it makes you feel excited

is the lively carefree celebration aspect rather than any source of pleasure

Antonyms

M

to mourn

191 3.0

Feel or show deep sadness after someone dies

How Lively

to party

• Informal

298 3.0

to have a ball

• Informal

31 6.5

to kick up one's heels

• Informal

3 7.2

to let one's hair down

• Informal

8 5.6

to enjoy

∞ 1.0

to take it easy

• Informal

572 2.5

Surface Forms

Morphology

Etymology