kick oneself

kick (oneself)

To reprove or rebuke oneself; to be angry with or disappointed in oneself. Usually used in continuous tenses. I knew I'd be kicking myself later if I came back and the bag was gone, so I went ahead and bought it. Plenty of companies are kicking themselves for not investing in the technology at an earlier stage.
See also: kick
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

kick oneself (for doing something)

Fig. to regret doing something. I could just kick myself for going off and not locking the car door. Now the car has been stolen. Don't kick yourself. It's insured.
See also: kick
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

kick oneself

Berate oneself, reproach one-self, as in I've been kicking myself all day for forgetting the keys. [Late 1800s]
See also: kick
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
See also:
  • kick yourself
  • kick (oneself) for (doing something)
  • wash (one's) hands of (someone or something)
  • wash hands of
  • wash one's hands of
  • wash your hands of
  • wash your hands of somebody/something
  • wash your hands of something/someone
  • for (one's) (own) sake
  • for sake
References in periodicals archive
Distraught because his girlfriend has ended their romance over the phone, a man attempts to drive across traffic-snarled Sao Paulo to kiss and make up in "The Milky Way." Frequently inventive and playful pic conveys exactly how it feels to kick oneself for words spoken in anger and be unable to make amends because a cruel universe won't cooperate.