kick up one's heels, to
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 (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.
kick up one's heels, to
To enjoy oneself exuberantly; to frolic. This term, which calls to mind a prancing horse or a vigorous dancer, originally meant to be knocked down or killed. Thomas Dekker used it in this sense in his play, The Honest Whore (1604): “I would not for a duckat she had kickt up her heeles.” The modern sense dates from the late nineteenth or early twentieth century.
See also: kick, up
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer
- a turn of phrase
- appear to
- a change of heart
- a mystery to (one)
- able to do
- able to do it
- a shoulder to cry on
- a piece of the action
- a piece/slice of the action
- bit of the action