kicking around somewhere - idiom meaning?

Question

What is the meaning of "kicking around somewhere" idiom?

Answer 1

 

Idiom Conjugations:

not applicable

Answer 2

Gerund Form of the Idiom:

not applicable
 

Answer 3

Idiom Usage:

It is possible to use this idiom to refer to people.  When you don't know exactly where a person is or people are but you know they are somewhere.
 

Joan is working late one night at the office when her telephone rings ...
Joan:  "Hello, Joan speaking."
Joe:     "Hi Joan.  It's Joe.  I called your house.  Do you know where Richard is?"
Joan:  "Yes, he came to pick me up for dinner but I don't know where he has gone."  I know he is kicking around the office somewhere."  Do you want me to find him?"
Joe:     "No, thanks.  That's OK.  I just wanted to see if he wanted to go out tonight but I now understand he has other plans."
Joan:  "I'll tell Richard you called when I find him."
Joe:    "Thanks.  Bye for now."
Joan  ""Bye."

This idiom is always used in the form:

Something is or many things are kicking around (somewhere).  Somewhere is optional.
 

This is not a separable phrasal verb.
 
 

Answer 4

Idiom Scenario 2:

It is springtime.  Jill wants to take her motorcycle out for the first time this year.  She hasn't ridden her motorcycle since last autumn, five months ago.  Jill looks and looks for the keys for her motorcycle but she can't seem to find them.  She says to herself ...

"I know those keys are kicking around somewhere!"

 

Answer 5

Idiom Scenario 1:

Bruce has just stopped by at Brad's house to borrow a book.

Bruce:  "Hey, Brad!  I was hoping you would lend me that book you told me about yesterday."
Brad:    "Absolutely.  No problem.  I just need to remember where I put it.

Bruce starts to look around his house for the book.  He checks the bookshelf and his bedroom but can't seem to find the book.

Brad:     "I can't find the book just now but I know it's kicking around here somewhere."
Bruce:  "OK.  I'll borrow the book another time."

 

Answer 6

Idiom Definition:

"something is kicking around somewhere "

You know you have something.  You do not know where it is in the present moment.
 

Synonyms: absent, astray, disappeared, gone, hidden, invisible, lost, mislaid, misplaced, missed, nowhere, obscured vanished