版主常詳細閱讀老美的來信，試圖模仿其用詞遣字，遇到不懂之處必詳察字典或從上下文判斷意思。今天講解的英文慣用語的意思有點模糊，如果不謹慎一點，可能會誤解對方意思。誠如標題所示，今天要解說的片語是 “Kick in the behind”。話不多說，先來看信件本文用在何處：

Dear Wayne,

Mother Theresa, quite possibly the single person who has had the most impact on my life, once said: “Do not wait for leaders; do it alone, person to person.”

Are you “waiting” for things to happen in your life?

Or, are you going to *make* them happen right now by doing your Daily Target Praxis?

Have you done your lesson for today? Log in to your Simpleology account and do it now at:
http://www.simpleology.com/login.html

All the best,

Mark

Mark Joyner
Founder of Simpleology

** You received this email because you are on the list to receive the “Simpleology Daily” newsletter. It’s an optional daily kick-in-the-behind for all Simpleology members that reminds you to do your 15-Minute Daily Target Praxis.

It’s an optional daily kick-in-the-behind for all Simpleology members that reminds you to do your 15-Minute Daily Target Praxis.

來信的老美將 ‘kick in the behind’ 用在上面的句子，我們可以推想它的意思與 “remind” 有關聯。有了這層理解之後，版主到網路上查詢資料，得到下面的解釋：

Slang Dictionary

kick in the (seat of the) pants definition

= kick in the ass; kick in the butt; kick in the teeth; kick in the rear

(n.) a strong message of encouragement or a demand. (Usually objectionable.) :
** All he needs is a kick in the seat of the pants to get him going.
** A kick in the teeth ought to wake them up and get them moving.

這表示 ‘kick in the behind’ (或者其他類似說法) 是提醒或激勵他人的訊息或文字，這有點像是中文的「當頭棒喝」。把這個意思套用到上面的電子郵件感覺意思很洽當，如此便解了版主的疑惑。

可是，版主查詢手頭字典之後，發現這纇說法還有其他意思，現在條列如下，權充這篇貼文的補充資料：

1. kick in the teeth = unpleasant and often unexpected action; a humiliating setback or rebuff // 討厭且未料的行動；丟臉的大挫敗
其他說法：kick in the pants / kick in the ass / kick in the breech / kick in the behind

* The government’s decision is a real kick in the teeth for the unions.
(政府的決定對工會是重大打擊。)

* That review was a kick in the teeth.
(那項檢討真是ㄧ大打擊。)

* That rejection was a real kick in the pants.
(那個回絕真是重大打擊。)

2.  Kick in the ass = A cause of enjoyment 令人愉快的原因

* That show was a real kick in the pants.
(那場秀非常有趣。)

3 . 真正地踹屁股

* Little Tom gave him a kick in the behind.
(小湯姆在他屁股上踢了一腳。)

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