kick upstairs
To promote (an employee considered troublesome) to a position of lesser influence, but of apparently higher status.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“The company decided to kick him upstairs to a quiet office.”
“Management wanted to remove the difficult manager from daily operations, so they kicked him upstairs to a ceremonial role.”
“Rather than dismissing the incompetent executive, the board chose to kick him upstairs, effectively neutralizing his influence while maintaining the appearance of a promotion.”
- 01
get a kick out of
To be delighted by; to be amused by.
- 02
get one's kicks
To enjoy oneself, to have a good time.
- 03
kick a dog when it's down
To make things worse for someone in an adverse situation.
- 04
kick ass
To win decisively.
- 05
kick ass and take names
To beat someone in a competition, fight, or other situation.
- 06
kick at an open door
To carry out a redundant activity.
- 07
kick at the can
An attempt or an opportunity.
- 08
kick back
To relax; to laze.
Last updated August 10, 2026