Home UK English a kick in the teeth

Meaning of a kick in the teeth in English:

a kick in the teeth

Translate a kick in the teeth into Spanish

phrase

informal

  • A grave setback or disappointment.

    • ‘this broken promise is a kick in the teeth for football’
    • ‘The chairman described the council's decision to reject the scheme as a kick in the teeth.’
    • ‘We are trying to improve the facilities all the time and make the ground more presentable and this sort of thing is just a kick in the teeth.’
    • ‘This is a kick in the teeth for the people of Salford and an outrageous waste of taxpayers' money.’
    • ‘Residents living close to the proposed multi-storey office and car park complex in Abbey Street said revised plans for the site are a kick in the teeth for the local community.’
    • ‘To hear from the Government that their regiment is about to be scrapped is a kick in the teeth for the brave men and women of our armed services.’
    • ‘Further restrictions on working time would be a kick in the teeth for many firms, particularly smaller ones.’
    • ‘This is nothing more than a kick in the teeth for the local residents who have supported the club for many years.’
    • ‘For the poorly paid staff, who earn from £9,000 to £12,000 per year, this was a kick in the teeth.’
    • ‘This is a kick in the teeth for the members of the council who worked so hard.’
    • ‘The European Court of Justice has recently delivered a kick in the teeth to British people who want to work longer hours.’