kick in the teeth
A humiliating insult or instance of bad treatment, especially when one is expecting friendship or in need of support; a sudden and unexpected setback; a strong rebuff.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“Losing my job after all that hard work felt like a kick in the teeth.”
“After he spent months helping his friend with a project, being fired by him was a real kick in the teeth.”
“The sudden rejection of her research proposal, despite years of dedicated study, served as a painful kick in the teeth during her final year.”
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arm to the teeth
To equip thoroughly with weapons.
- 02
bare one's teeth
To show aggression.
- 03
bone in her teeth
(of a boat or ship) A prominent bow wave (as a result of high speed).
- 04
cast in someone's teeth
To accuse someone of something, or reproach them for it.
- 05
cut one's teeth
To begin; to gain early experience.
- 06
get a kick out of
To be delighted by; to be amused by.
- 07
get one's kicks
To enjoy oneself, to have a good time.
- 08
gnash one's teeth
To grind or strike the teeth together in anger, signaling extreme rage, frustration, pain, or ferocity.
Last updated August 10, 2026