kick over the traces
The phrase "kick over the traces" originates from horse-drawn carriages, where a horse would kick over the straps (traces) that keep it in place, symbolizing rebellion or breaking free.
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🇬🇧 UK Voice:
Definition
C1General
(informal, dated, UK)To rebel against authority or established rules.
Example
- After years of strict upbringing, she finally decided to kick over the traces and travel the world.
C1General
(informal, dated, UK)To live extravagantly and recklessly, often leading to negative consequences.
Example
- He kicked over the traces, spending all his money on lavish parties and expensive cars.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "kick over the traces":
kick overoff the trackkick against the prickskick into touchkick into the long grasskick itoutkick one's coveragecross the linekick at the cantrail behindstep overoff the railskick aroundgo off the reservationkick the bucketkick upkick offcrossing the linetrip upbreak ranks