Kick your ass

Posted by R. Berg on March 26, 2008 at 17:43:

In Reply to: Kick your ass posted by Rick J Bell on March 26, 2008 at 13:09:

: I am searching for a modern description/definition of the expression "Kick your ass." I believe that it is an expression to show superiority over another said as a means to: demean in a competition of some kind, or to show one has a better chance to overcome an opponent in a challenge of some sort. I am also aware that it could be taken literally but modern usage seems to make it a non-violent expression. An example would be "I'll kick your a** when we golf next week." If you have any information it would help me greatly.

This phrase doesn't always connote competition. Sometimes it's a metaphor for a merely aggressive kind of figurative beating, such as a reprimand. "If the boss catches Smith one more time playing video games at work, he'll kick his ass."

Then there's "kick ass" or "kick butt," high praise meaning "be effective." We Americans are so ambivalent about violence. ~rb