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to kick someone's ass

to kick someone's ass

45 9.0
To beat or punish someone very badly
  • phrasal verb
  • /kɪk sʌmˌwʌnz æs/
  • Offensive
translation icon : dar una paliza a alguien
  • If you challenge me to a race, I will definitely kick your ass.
  • go kick someone's ass
  • want to kick someone's ass
  • get to kick someone's ass

Examples

Synonyms

to whip
vsto kick someone's ass
133 4.4

To hit something with a long thin object or move it quickly and forcefully

is often used for decisive defeat or strong corrective action
to vanquish
vsto kick someone's ass
  • Formal
109 7.2

Beat someone or something completely in a conflict

is less formal and can imply violent or punitive action too
to beat the shit out of
vsto kick someone's ass
  • Offensive
53 9.9

To hurt or defeat someone very badly, often by hitting them

can mean violent harm but also decisive nonphysical punishment
to stick it to
vsto kick someone's ass
  • Informal
40 8.6

Punish or hurt someone to get revenge

is often harsher and can include physical or decisive action
to whoop ass
vsto kick someone's ass
  • Offensive
16 9.9

To beat someone very badly in a fight or competition

includes decisive defeat but also harsh punishment or reprimand
to beat to a pulp
vsto kick someone's ass
  • Offensive
15 7.6

Hit someone many times until they are badly hurt or win against them very clearly

is broader, also used for total defeat or strong punishment
to kick-ass
vsto kick someone's ass
  • Offensive
11 8.7

To beat someone by a large amount in a contest or game

can also suggest harsh punishment rather than just winning
to let someone have it
vsto kick someone's ass
  • Informal
11 8.1

To angrily tell someone off

can also imply physical punishment or decisive enforcement
to wipe the floor with
vsto kick someone's ass
  • Informal
8 7.5

To beat someone completely in a game or contest

can also mean punishing someone harshly rather than just winning
to thrash
vsto kick someone's ass
  • NSFW
7 6.5

Hit someone hard, often as punishment or in a fight

also applies to decisive nonphysical punishment or strong dominance
to beat the pants off
vsto kick someone's ass
  • Informal
3 7.7

Win easily by a lot against another person or team

also conveys severe punishment or strong reprimand in some uses
to beat the stuffing out of
vsto kick someone's ass
  • Offensive
1 9.0

Hit someone many times until they are badly hurt

also covers forceful reprimand or punishment rather than just fighting
to beat someone's ass
vsto kick someone's ass
  • Offensive
1 9.9

To defeat someone completely, often physically or in a game, used in rude speech

is similarly forceful but also covers harsh nonphysical punishment
to trounce
vsto kick someone's ass
  • Offensive
1 8.4

To beat someone with a whip or stick as punishment

is used more generally for decisive defeat or harsh action
to bring down the hammer
vsto kick someone's ass
  • Informal
1 8.2

To take firm action to punish someone

can mean physical beating or decisive defeat in informal speech
to beat the daylights out of
vsto kick someone's ass
  • Offensive
1 8.6

To hit someone or something very hard and damage it

may also refer to decisive nonphysical punishment or defeat
to wallop
vsto kick someone's ass
  • Informal
1 6.7

To beat someone very easily and completely in a game or contest

adds the idea of punishment or harsh treatment beyond victory
to kick some tail
vsto kick someone's ass
  • Slang
1 8.8

Beat someone by a lot

adds the sense of punishing or harshly reprimanding beyond winning
to open a can of whoop ass
vsto kick someone's ass
  • Offensive
1 9.9

To attack or punish someone suddenly and violently, often for something they did

is broader, including decisive victory or severe reprimand
to beat the poop out of
vsto kick someone's ass
  • Offensive
9.6

Hit someone many times so they become badly hurt

can mean severe physical harm or strong punishment without injury
to knock the living daylights out of
vsto kick someone's ass
  • Offensive
9.9

To hit someone very hard or to shock someone very much

extends to harsh punishment or overwhelming defeat beyond shock
to bash someone's face in
vsto kick someone's ass
  • NSFW
9.9

To hit someone's face very hard to hurt them

is used more generally for strong punishment or decisive defeat
to smackdown
vsto kick someone's ass
  • Slang
8.4

To defeat someone completely in a contest or argument

is similar but also covers private harsh punishment or discipline
to put one's foot in someone's ass
vsto kick someone's ass
  • Offensive
9.9

To yell at or threaten someone to make them try harder

can also indicate physical punishment or decisive defeat
to put foot to ass
vsto kick someone's ass
  • Offensive
9.9

Take strong action to make someone work or change

adds the idea of punishing or decisively overpowering someone
to settle someone's hash
vsto kick someone's ass
  • Slang
9.3

To punish or defeat someone to stop their harmful actions

is used for harsh punishment or decisive defeat in many contexts

Antonyms

77 3.5

Decide not to hurt someone even though you could

How Decisive

to annihilate
  • NSFW
63 7.5
to kick someone's ass
  • Offensive
45 9.0
to trounce
14 7.5
to defeat
932 2.1
to beat
1.4

Surface Forms

kick someone's ass infinitive
kicked someone's ass past participle
kicking someone's ass present participle
kicks someone's ass third person singular

Morphology

kick + someone's + ass

The phrase combines literal parts ('kick' + 'ass') whose physical meaning (to strike someone's buttocks) readily maps onto a common metaphorical extension meaning 'defeat or punish someone.' However, the figurative sense is colloquial and vulgar and requires pragmatic/metaphorical knowledge beyond knowing the individual words, so it is not fully predictable for a B1 learner without exposure.

Etymology

Kick someone's ass comes from the literal image of someone being kicked in the ass during a fight or contest. That strong picture turned into a way to say 'defeat' or 'punish' someone badly, so today it means to beat someone completely.