Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

kick the beam

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.04 in modern English

Syllables: kick- the beam
IPA

28

Scrabble Score

11

Letters

2

Syllables

9

Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

To lack in weight, importance, or strength compared to another.

Archaic

Example Sentences

"The latter quick up flew, and kick'd the beam; / Which Gabriel spying, thus bespake the Fiend."
"Is the dollar only real? God and truth and right a dream? Weighed against your lying ledgers must our manhood kick the beam?"
"To-day she is at war; she has no surplus resources; all her energy is concentrated on herself, and will be until she is ready and equipped for battle. When that happens—when her vast potential energy has been converted into dynamic energy—she will step heavily into that scale of the balance recently vacated by Russia, and Prussian militarism will kick the beam."

Etymology

Referencing a loaded balance, whose lighter arm would rise up and strike the beam.

Usage

Archaic

Inflected Forms

kicks the beam (present, singular) kicking the beam (participle, present) kicked the beam (participle, past) kicked the beam (past)

Questions

What does kick the beam mean?: To lack in weight, importance, or strength compared to another.
Where does kick the beam come from?: Referencing a loaded balance, whose lighter arm would rise up and strike the beam.

How to pronounce kick the beam

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