kick the habit
kick the habit — idiom
1. to stop doing something that has become a regular and harmful part of your life,
to stop doing something that has become a regular and harmful part of your life, such as smoking, drinking, or other addictive behaviors, often requiring consistent effort over time.
After smoking for ten years, Mei-Lin finally kicked the habit with her doctor's help.
collocation: kick + the habit (quitting an addiction)
Gabriel checked his phone constantly, so he kicked the habit with an app timer.
Kemi kicked the habit of biting her nails once she started painting them regularly.
After three failed attempts, Yusuf finally kicked the habit and stayed smoke-free for eight months.
The whole Ortega family decided together to kick the habit of ordering takeout every night.
- give up
more neutral and general; less vivid than the idiom
- quit
direct and common; used for both substances and activities
- break a habit
similar meaning but emphasizes the deliberate act of stopping
- fall off the wagon
opposite meaning — to start drinking or using again after a period of quitting
- take up
to start a new habit, often one that is unhealthy
文法句型
kick + the + habit
kick + the + habit + of + gerund
用法筆記
Frequently refers to addictive behaviors (smoking, drinking, drugs) but can extend to everyday routines (snacking, social media). The phrase is fixed — 'kick a habit' may refer to a specific routine rather than a general addiction.