kick up (one's) heels

kick up (one's) heels

1. To engage or partake in jovial festivities, especially by dancing. They spent most of their Saturdays kicking up their heels at the various nightclubs around town.
2. To relax or lounge with one's feet elevated, as on a sofa, recliner, bed, etc. After such a long week, all I wanted to do for the evening was kick up my heels and watch some movies with a big bowl of popcorn.
See also: heel, kick, up
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

kick up one's heels

Enjoy oneself, as in When she retires, she plans to kick up her heels and travel. This expression originated about 1600 with a totally different meaning, "to be killed." The modern sense, alluding to a prancing horse or exuberant dancer, dates from about 1900.
See also: heel, kick, up
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

kick up your heels

BRITISH
If you kick up your heels, you enjoy yourself a lot, for example at a party. Lucia was spotted kicking up her heels in the Tangiers Club. After years of working hard and raising all those children, I could kick up my heels and go entirely where I wanted to. Note: This refers to a horse that has been released into a field, as horses commonly do this as they gallop off.
See also: heel, kick, up
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.

kick up your heels

have a lively, enjoyable time. chiefly North American
See also: heel, kick, up
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

kick up your ˈheels

(informal, especially American English) be relaxed and enjoy yourself: Now that he’s more confident in his job, perhaps he can kick up his heels and stop looking so worried all the time.
See also: heel, kick, up
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

kick up (one's) heels

Informal
To cast off one's inhibitions and have a good time.
See also: heel, kick, up
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition.
See also:
  • kick (one's) heels up
  • kick heels up
  • kick up heels
  • kick up one's heels
  • kick up your heels
  • partake of
  • partake of (something)
  • dirty (one's) hands
  • dirty one's hands
  • get hands dirty and dirty hands; soil hands