kick down
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Verb: 1. To open violently by kicking: To force something, typically a door, to open by striking it with one's foot with great force, often causing damage. - The police had to kick down the door to enter the apartment. 2. To cause to fall or break open by kicking: To use a forceful kick to break through a barrier.
Usage Examples
- Verb:
- In the movie, the hero kicks down the door to rescue the hostages.
- The firefighters kicked down the burning door to reach the trapped family.
Advanced Usage
- This verb is often used in contexts involving emergency entry, law enforcement, or dramatic action. It implies a sense of urgency, force, and often destruction.
- It is typically used with objects like "door," "gate," or "barrier."
Variants and Related Words
- Kick in (verb): A synonym often used interchangeably with "kick down" in the context of forcing a door open.
- They kicked in the front door.
- Break down (verb): A more general term for forcing something open, which can involve tools other than just kicking.
- They broke down the door with a battering ram.
Synonyms
- Batter down
- Smash in
- Force open
Related Phrasal Verbs
- Kick in: Can mean to start having an effect (e.g., ) or, as noted above, to break something by kicking.
- Kick open: To open something with a kick, but not necessarily with the same connotation of violent destruction as "kick down."
- He kicked open the gate.
Related Idioms
- "Kick down the doors": Can be used figuratively to mean to overcome significant barriers or obstacles forcefully.
- She kicked down the doors in the male-dominated industry.
Verb
- open violently
- kick in the doors