kick around

kick around idiom
  1. Treat badly, abuse, as in I'm sick and tired of being kicked around by my supervisor. [Colloquial; first half of 1900s]
  2. Also, kick about. Move from place to place, as in They spent three years kicking around the country on their bikes, or We've no address; we're just kicking about until we find somewhere to settle. [Colloquial; early 1800s]
  3. Also, kick about. Consider, think about or discuss; examine or try out. For example, Let's kick this scenario around for a while and see what we come up with, or We've been kicking about various schemes to make money. [Colloquial; first half of 1900s]
  4. Be available or unused, as in This old computer has been kicking around for months—no one seems to want it. [c. 1900]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

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