[Idiom] Would this be an idom?

[bosbeck]

"I am going to kick you" if you had no intentions of kicking anyone?

 

[billmcd]

"I am going to kick you" if you had no intentions of kicking anyone?

Idiom? Sounds more like a threat to me. :-D But seriously (if possible), your "no intentions" would tell me that you would say it in such a way that it was obvious that you were joking.

 

[accessible.esl]

This is not an idiom. The definition of an idiom is that it is a phrase that uses figurative language to describe something quite unrelated. "Kicked the bucket" refers to dying, which in reality has nothing to do with kicking buckets. "I'm going to kick you," I am assuming would be said if someone is annoying you. Someone is singing an annoying song and you say, "Stop it or I'm going to kick you." Though of course you aren't going to kick, this function as a threat, not as a stand in for something else.

 

[waflob]

In addition to the posts already made, 2 possibilities spring to mind. You could give someone a 'kick up the arse', meaning a form of motivation - more stick, less carrot. In modern MMORPGs, where people group up together to play, removing someone from the group is also called kicking. For example, "stop slacking, or I'll kick you".

 

[5jj]

You could give someone a 'kick up the a**e', meaning a form of motivation - more stick, less carrot. I

We have people from a wide range of cultures here, so we generally use an asterisk rather than print in full words that might be offensive to some.

 

[waflob]

Please forgive my lack of etiquette, but how does masking a word make it less offensive? I don't understand. Anyone who would be offended by the word will still recognise it as such and those who don't recognise it will just be confused.

Maybe it would have been better to have said "a kick up the rear end", but the original version is what people will commonly hear.

I did wonder at the time and did my little forum language litmus test, namely "Would you use that word when talking to a nun?" and decided that it would be ok. Maybe I just know cool nuns ...

Anyway, apologies for any unintended offense that this may have caused.

 

[Tdol]

Masking words, especially in thread titles, allows a discussion to continue without causing any offence. Using ** so that the word is still recognisable doesn't affect the discussion, but it shows consideration for others.

 

[kimfuji]

No. But you can say "I could kick myself" after you realize you made a mistake. For example, I go to a friend's house and she asks, "Where is the apple pie recipe?" I say, "I forgot it! Oh no! I'm sorry. I could kick myself." That means: I'm sorry I forgot it. I feel bad for forgetting it.

 

[dacapo]

I suppose it could be, if you can explain what the actual intention would be?

But generally, no, this would not qualify as an idiom, particularly because anyone to whom you say this will probably think that you intend to kick them.;-)