kick the habit

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