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”Kick against the pricks” - for native English speakers Is ”kick against the pricks” an expression you are familiar with? I know it from the title of an album by Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds (Kicking Against the Pricks), but I don't know if its commonly known and understood. Thanks for your help!
Mar 13, 2018 12:24 PM
Answers · 11
2
I am a native English speaker and a community tutor from Jamaica. Kick against the pricks means to hurt oneself by persisting in useless resistance or protest.
March 13, 2018
1
It's a biblical phrase apparently. I had never heard of it before and given the meaning of 'prick' as an insult in modern English I would have interpreted it rather differently to Brian. Probably Nick Cave was aware it could be interpreted differently.
March 13, 2018
1
Hello, I'm a native English speaker in the UK. It's not an expression I have ever heard before, even in slang.
March 13, 2018
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