american english - Polite, non-profane equivalent to ‘kick a**’


So, you have a web site to which you've posted a review stating "How to Kick Ass". This gets censored, which I can understand.


What's a very colloquial, not necessarily modern slang, easily recognizable equivalent to kick ass?


This review is in a military context. The metric is, would it be inspiring for a graduation speech at West Point but also easily recognizable to a civilian? If it's a bit… colorful, then all the better. But it should be able to pass profanity filters.


Clarification of the context.


It's about a German WWII armored tactics history/handbook. My original review title was going to be 'Kick Butt 103' - I wanted to convey the sense that it was an impressive course to instill advanced organizational wisdom and experience, in this case on how to dominate your enemy. Besides the title, my review goes into more details about how it is very much a 'how to' combat manual. But I did want the title to be somewhat clear on its own.


Amazon wasn't keen on 'butt' however - which I thought a bit over the top. Butt is colloquial, and colorful, but hardly obscene or profane.


'Kick Ass 103' would work as well. But 'Trounce 103' or 'Dominate 103', to take two good suggestions below, would, in my opinion, leave a reader rather puzzled as to what I was trying to say - about the only thing those two evoke are edgy website user names. Pown 103 might work, but that is gamer slang and might be too obscure to older readers.



Answer



To "kick butt" is to "Dominate" or to "Rule!"



Dominate verb: have a commanding influence on; exercise control over. "the company dominates the market for operating system software"


synonyms: control, influence, exercise control over, command, be in command of, be in charge of, rule, govern, direct, have ascendancy over, have mastery over.



(Google)



Rule verb: to control or direct; exercise dominating power, authority, or influence over; govern: "to rule the empire with severity"



(Dictionary.com)



Rule verb: to dominate; to be the best. (Slang only in certain contexts. Typical in graffiti.) "Pizza rules around here"


Rule the Roost informal To be in charge; dominate: "In this house my parents rule the roost"



(The Free Dictionary)


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