drag (someone) kicking and screaming

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drag (someone) kicking and screaming

To force someone to go somewhere or do something against their will, especially when they protest against it vehemently and/or at great length. I really thought Mike would be perfect for that job, but I had to drag him kicking and screaming into an interview for it. Every summer we drag our kids kicking and screaming to their grandparents' house in the countryside. The prime minister dragged the country kicking and screaming into the 21st century.

See also: and, drag, kick, scream

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2015 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

drag someone kicking and screaming

COMMON If you drag someone kicking and screaming to a place or into a different state, you force them to go there or to change even though they are unwilling to do this. The minister was dragged kicking and screaming to the House yesterday. Stefan was the man who would drag North Yorkshire kicking and screaming into the twenty-first century. Note: Other verbs are sometimes used instead of drag. A reviewer had managed to sneak in to a preview last week but he was spotted by security and hauled out kicking and screaming.

See also: and, drag, kick, scream, someone

Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012