# kick the beam

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/kick-the-beam
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

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

## Examples

- His small argument kicks the beam against the evidence.
- My old laptop kicks the beam next to your new computer.
- When you compare his experience to the senior manager's, his qualifications clearly kick the beam.
- The local team's defensive strategy kicks the beam when they face the speed and power of the national champions.
- Your short summary of the book kicks the beam compared to the deep analysis written by the professor.
- In the final analysis of the historical records, the minor evidence provided by the witness kicks the beam when weighed against the overwhelming testimony of the experts.

## Origin

The expression references a loaded balance scale, specifically the moment an object is found so light that its side of the scale rises sharply and strikes the overhead cross-bar. This cross-bar was known as the beam. The movement indicated a significant lack of weight, or a failure to meet a standard, by which the lighter arm would fly up and kick the beam.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.