kick the habit


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kick the (something)

slang To overcome an addiction to something. It took gum, patches, and even hypnosis, but I've finally kicked the habit. Unfortunately, the physical nature of heroin addiction means that kicking the habit isn't as simple as just wanting to stop. After saying such horrible things to my parents, I decided it was finally time to kick the booze for good.
See also: kick

kick the habit

slang To overcome an addiction, typically to drugs. It took gum, patches, and counseling, but I've finally kicked the habit—no more cigarettes. Unfortunately, the nature of addiction means that kicking the habit isn't as simple as just wanting to stop.
See also: habit, kick

kick a habit

 and kick the habit; shake the habit; shake a habit
to break a habit. It's hard to kick a habit, but it can be done. I stopped biting my nails. I used to drink coffee every morning, but I kicked the habit.
See also: habit, kick

kick a habit

Also, kick it; kick the habit. Overcome or give up habitual use, especially of narcotics. For example, Smoking is addictive; it's not easy to kick, or If he doesn't kick the habit, he may not make it through school. This idiom uses kick in the sense of "get rid of." [First half of 1900s]
See also: habit, kick

kick the habit

stop engaging in a habitual practice. informal
1992 Economist Perhaps it is time for ex-French West Africa to choose its own forms of government…and kick the habit of turning to France whenever trouble starts.
See also: habit, kick

kick the habit

tv. to voluntarily end any habit or custom, especially a drug habit. (see also knock the habit.) She tried and tried to kick the habit.
See also: habit, kick

kick the habit

Slang
To free oneself of an addiction, as to narcotics or cigarettes.
See also: habit, kick
References in periodicals archive ?
Ian, who is being sponsored by family and friends in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support, said: "I want to give up smoking for myself and my family and this time I'm hoping with the support of my colleagues and the added incentive of helping a good cause I will be able to kick the habit for good.
Ian's kicking some butt
Nationally more than 200,000 smokers managed to kick the habit last year ( a huge 65pc up on the previous year.
North leads the quitters
People who kick the habit seem to continue adding to the arterial damage they incurred while smoking.
Secondary smoke carries high price
STOP Smoking Services will be at North East supermarkets today to give advice to people who want to kick the habit.
Stub it out
The record goal scorer has teamed up with Boots to help smokers kick the habit as the smoking ban becomes law today.
HEAL HELP YOU QUIT; APRIL 30: DAWN OF NEW ERA IN PUBLIC HEALTH
AS ONE of the heavy smokers strongly addicted to this drug I am puzzled how the tobacco industry and the government, which make billions out of us, claim that there is not the funding for a specialist unit at NHS addiction centres for those wanting to kick the habit.
Letter: Your Say - Smokers need help to quit
Michael Stadden, 36, had been a drug user since childhood and, despite being able to come off the drug during various periods in jail, he had never been able to kick the habit on the outside.
Overdose killed former prisoner
A friend said: 'Liv is not a heavy smoker, but it's tough to kick the habit.
The Razz: showbuzz
While no-one would condone smoking,and every effort should be made to help the 70% of smokers who wish to kick the habit, the idea of millions of folk being driven underground to indulge their habit is as preposterous as it is impacticable.
Echo Comment: Pipe dream
BIOTECH group Xenova cheered investors with news that trials on a vaccine to help cocaine addicts kick the habit had reached a new level.
Private bid for New Look
Mr Paul Hooper, manager of Smoke Free Birmingham, a health authority initiative to kick the habit, said he was delighted at Winifred's achievement.
70-year habit goes up in smoke
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