Definitions
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- verb idiomatic, colloquial To
inspect something toensure it meetsexpected standards or hasfavored characteristics , typically beforecommitting topurchasing or otherwiseselecting it. - verb obsolete To
inspect avehicle 'stires by kicking them to check fordefects or poorquality .
Etymologies
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
Early 20th century. Tires on early automobiles were made of thin rubber and were sometimes of poor quality, hence a prospective buyer might kick them to see how thick they were or if they would deflate.
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Examples
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