look for a dog to kick

verb

To seek someone or something to blame.

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Meanings

verblook for a dog to kick (third-person singular simple present looks for a dog to kick, present participle looking for a dog to kick, simple past and past participle looked for a dog to kick)

present singular third person looks for a dog to kick · participle present looking for a dog to kick · participle past looked for a dog to kick · past looked for a dog to kick

  1. idiomaticTo seek someone or something to blame.

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
take it out on

Origin

Referring to the tendency some people have to vent their frustrations on creatures that appear to be unable or unwilling to defend themselves, such as dogs.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

look for a dog to kick. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/look%20for%20a%20dog%20to%20kick

MLA

“look for a dog to kick.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/look%20for%20a%20dog%20to%20kick. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “look for a dog to kick,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/look%20for%20a%20dog%20to%20kick.

Source: look for a dog to kick on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.