kick at

kick at (someone or something)

1. To strike or attempt to strike someone or something with one or more kicks. We kicked at the various lizards and insects that came crawling toward us. The suspect kicked at me over and over again, but I refused to let go until the police arrived. We kicked at the floorboards, trying to force our way into the crawlspace below.
2. To propel something in the direction of someone or something else with a kick. In this usage, a noun or pronoun is used between "kick" and "at." Please don't kick your ball at the house! I don't want a window to get broken. The police officer arrested the protestor for kicking a broken bottle at him.
See also: kick
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

kick at someone or something

to make kicking motions toward someone or something. The horse kicked at me, but I knew it was just a threat. The boys kicked at the can aimlessly.
See also: kick
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
See also:
  • kick at (someone or something)
  • lash out at (someone or something)
  • lash out against (someone or something)
  • strike up a conversation
  • strike up a conversation (with one)
  • strike out
  • strike out at (someone or something)
  • bop
  • striking
  • I'll knock your block/head off!
References in periodicals archive
Mean ([+ or -] standard deviation) kinematic descriptors of the kick at impact under each approach condition.
The effects of approach angle on penalty kicking accuracy and kick kinematics with recreational soccer players
Babies continued to kick at their previous rates if the liner displayed triangles instead of squares, but kicking dropped off drastically if circles or stripes adorned the liner.
Infant memory shows the power of place