kicks in the teeth

A form of 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.

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Meanings

noun
  1. pluralplural of kick in the teeth
Cite this entry
APA

kicks in the teeth. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/kicks%20in%20the%20teeth

MLA

“kicks in the teeth.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/kicks%20in%20the%20teeth. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “kicks in the teeth,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/kicks%20in%20the%20teeth.

Source: kicks in the teeth on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.