--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The more you kick something that's dead…" description: "\"The more you kick something that's dead, the worse it smells.\" — Barbara Stanwyck" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2a/barbara-stanwyck-26778_kicks_the-more-you-kick-something-that-s-dead_1994511.jpg" --- # The more you kick something that's dead, the worse it… ![“The more you kick something that's dead, the worse it smells.” quote by Barbara Stanwyck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2a/barbara-stanwyck-26778_kicks_the-more-you-kick-something-that-s-dead_1994511.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2a/barbara-stanwyck-26778_kicks_the-more-you-kick-something-that-s-dead_1994511.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2a/barbara-stanwyck-26778_kicks_the-more-you-kick-something-that-s-dead_1994511.jpg) > “The more you kick something that's dead, the worse it smells.” [Barbara Stanwyck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-stanwyck/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Continuously reviving something dead only worsens its condition and creates a foul odor. **In simple terms:** Killing a dead thing makes it stink. Key Takeaway Stop persisting with futile efforts. Themes perseverance effort futility Mood cautious pragmatic Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - business projects - personal habits - relationship issues Key Concepts resource management decision making Questions to Reflect On - When is it wise to let go? - What signs indicate a project is dead? A Different Perspective Sometimes persistence is needed to learn from failure. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Kicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kicks/) [Smell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smell/) ## Related quotes > [“I found a big container and put a bit of water in it, then added the dried shit. Since then, I’ve added my own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-weir/i-found-a-big-container-and-put-a-bit-of-water-in-it-then-added-the/) [Andy Weir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-weir/) > [Every life is different because you passed this way and touched history... Listen being dead is not worse than being alive. It is different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/every-life-is-different-because-you-passed-this-way-and-touched/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [“Listen: being dead is not worse than being alive. It is different though. You could say the view is larger.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/listen-being-dead-is-not-worse-than-being-alive-it-is-different/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [ The kick \[of comedy\] is to think quickly. It's a great kick. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joey-bishop/the-kick-of-comedy-is-to-think-quickly-it-s-a-great-kick/) [Joey Bishop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joey-bishop/) > [Have a little faith, kick a little dirt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-ladd/have-a-little-faith-kick-a-little-dirt/) [Diane Ladd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-ladd/) > [One cannot kick against geography!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleftherios-venizelos/one-cannot-kick-against-geography/) [Eleftherios Venizelos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleftherios-venizelos/) > [Like some dogs: kick them once and they never trust you again, no matter how nice you are to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/like-some-dogs-kick-them-once-and-they-never-trust-you-again-no/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [Penalty kicks are so much about confidence and your mentality going into them. If you go walk up to a kick and you're not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-foudy/penalty-kicks-are-so-much-about-confidence-and-your-mentality-going/) [Julie Foudy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-foudy/) > [I don't kick a man when he's down, unless I'm the one who put him down in the first place. I don't put him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/i-don-t-kick-a-man-when-he-s-down-unless-i-m-the-one-who-put-him-down/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [The bicycle kick is not easy to do. I scored 1,283 goals, and only two or three were bicycle kicks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pel/the-bicycle-kick-is-not-easy-to-do-i-scored-1-283-goals-and-only-two/) [Pele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pel/) > [We love it where we from, but we kick it where we at.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ladybug-mecca/we-love-it-where-we-from-but-we-kick-it-where-we-at/) Ladybug Mecca > [It's not my nature to just kick back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madonna-ciccone/it-s-not-my-nature-to-just-kick-back/) [Madonna Ciccone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madonna-ciccone/) > [So, I get a kick out of working with the media.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vince-mcmahon/so-i-get-a-kick-out-of-working-with-the-media/) [Vince McMahon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vince-mcmahon/) > [If a guy drew a charge on me, I tried to kick him in the balls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-barkley/if-a-guy-drew-a-charge-on-me-i-tried-to-kick-him-in-the-balls/) [Charles Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-barkley/) > [A miler's kick does the trick...A miler's kick does the trick...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-dixon/a-miler-s-kick-does-the-trick-a-miler-s-kick-does-the-trick/) Rod Dixon ## More by Barbara Stanwyck > [“You want the story of my life? Big ideas, small results.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-stanwyck/you-want-the-story-of-my-life-big-ideas-small-results/) [Barbara Stanwyck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-stanwyck/) > [It's perhaps not the future I would choose. I still think it's possible to make a success of both marriage and career even though…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-stanwyck/it-s-perhaps-not-the-future-i-would-choose-i-still-think-it-s/) [Barbara Stanwyck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-stanwyck/) > [I'm now the Lord of the Brighton Manor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-stanwyck/i-m-now-the-lord-of-the-brighton-manor/) [Barbara Stanwyck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-stanwyck/) > [ \[On Marilyn Monroe:\] Her body has gone to her head. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-stanwyck/on-marilyn-monroe-her-body-has-gone-to-her-head/) [Barbara Stanwyck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-stanwyck/) > [Career is too pompous a word. It was a job, and I have always felt privileged to be paid for doing what I love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-stanwyck/career-is-too-pompous-a-word-it-was-a-job-and-i-have-always-felt/) [Barbara Stanwyck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-stanwyck/) > [Just be truthful - and if you can fake that, you've got it made.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-stanwyck/just-be-truthful-and-if-you-can-fake-that-you-ve-got-it-made/) [Barbara Stanwyck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-stanwyck/) > [There is a point in portraying surface vulgarity where tragedy and comedy are very close.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-stanwyck/there-is-a-point-in-portraying-surface-vulgarity-where-tragedy-and/) [Barbara Stanwyck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-stanwyck/) > [Career is too pompous a word. It was a job, and I have always felt privileged to be paid for what I love doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-stanwyck/career-is-too-pompous-a-word-it-was-a-job-and-i-have-always-felt-2/) [Barbara Stanwyck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-stanwyck/) > [Put me in the last fifteen minutes of a picture and I don't care what happened before. I don't even care if I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-stanwyck/put-me-in-the-last-fifteen-minutes-of-a-picture-and-i-don-t-care-what/) [Barbara Stanwyck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-stanwyck/) > [I couldn't remember my name for weeks. I'd be at the theater and hear them calling 'Miss Stanwyck, Miss Stanwyck,' and I'd think 'Where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-stanwyck/i-couldn-t-remember-my-name-for-weeks-i-d-be-at-the-theater-and-hear/) [Barbara Stanwyck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-stanwyck/) > [My only problem is finding a way to play my fortieth fallen female in a different way from my thirty-ninth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-stanwyck/my-only-problem-is-finding-a-way-to-play-my-fortieth-fallen-female-in/) [Barbara Stanwyck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-stanwyck/) > [A star is only as good as her last picture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-stanwyck/a-star-is-only-as-good-as-her-last-picture/) [Barbara Stanwyck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-stanwyck/) > [Eyes are the greatest tool in film. Mr. Capra taught me that. Sure it's nice to say very good dialogue, if you can get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-stanwyck/eyes-are-the-greatest-tool-in-film-mr-capra-taught-me-that-sure-it-s/) [Barbara Stanwyck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-stanwyck/) > [I'm a tough old broad from Brooklyn. I intend to go on acting until I'm ninety, and they won't need to paste my face…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-stanwyck/i-m-a-tough-old-broad-from-brooklyn-i-intend-to-go-on-acting-until-i/) [Barbara Stanwyck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-stanwyck/) > [The boy's got a lot to learn and I've got a lot to teach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-stanwyck/the-boy-s-got-a-lot-to-learn-and-i-ve-got-a-lot-to-teach/) [Barbara Stanwyck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-stanwyck/) [Explore all 21 Barbara Stanwyck quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-stanwyck/) ## More Kick quotes > [I would give anything to be able to kick a ball with my son or read the kids a bedtime story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-burrow/i-would-give-anything-to-be-able-to-kick-a-ball-with-my-son-or-read/) [Rob Burrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-burrow/) > [Fuck you, kick rocks .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drrodalez/fuck-you-kick-rocks/) DrRodalez > [I'm not doing one lucky punch or spinning kick and catching somebody. I'm going to own you - not beat you - own you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-anderson/i-m-not-doing-one-lucky-punch-or-spinning-kick-and-catching-somebody/) [Corey Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-anderson/) > [Hollywood is a strange, strange thing. I feel like I've been invited to a very exclusive ball and I'm just trying to make nice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darren-criss/hollywood-is-a-strange-strange-thing-i-feel-like-i-ve-been-invited-to/) [Darren Criss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darren-criss/) > [A miler's kick does the trick...A miler's kick does the trick...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-dixon/a-miler-s-kick-does-the-trick-a-miler-s-kick-does-the-trick/) Rod Dixon > [Today if anyone praises you for your beauty, personality, style or attitude? Just kick him. How dare he fool you before April 1st.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/today-if-anyone-praises-you-for-your-beauty-personality-style-or/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I know how to punch and kick, I know how to do stuff most people can't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uriah-hall/i-know-how-to-punch-and-kick-i-know-how-to-do-stuff-most-people-can-t/) [Uriah Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/uriah-hall/) > [It may be an extreme example brought about by abnormal circumstances - but the criteria of human rights kick in, surely, precisely when the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/breyten-breytenbach/it-may-be-an-extreme-example-brought-about-by-abnormal-circumstances/) [Breyten Breytenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/breyten-breytenbach/) > [Plan your free-kick and imagine where you need to hit the ball. Hang a T-shirt under the bar and try to hit it with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-carlos/plan-your-free-kick-and-imagine-where-you-need-to-hit-the-ball-hang-a/) [Roberto Carlos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-carlos/) > [“Can we kick some vampire ass already?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taryn-browning/can-we-kick-some-vampire-ass-already/) [Taryn Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taryn-browning/) > [“Oh, i'm going to kick his ass, and when i'm done, i'm going to squeeze his balls blue.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/oh-i-m-going-to-kick-his-ass-and-when-i-m-done-i-m-going-to-squeeze/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [When I kick I tend to be a little bit too tight and all over the place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-cain/when-i-kick-i-tend-to-be-a-little-bit-too-tight-and-all-over-the-place/) [Mary Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-cain/) > [It's fun being able to suit up and go and kick butt and not have to worry about memorizing dialogue. It's a whole different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-hu/it-s-fun-being-able-to-suit-up-and-go-and-kick-butt-and-not-have-to/) [Kelly Hu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-hu/) > [“The most important lesson of all: No matter how hard you kick, no matter how high you get, you can't go all the way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/the-most-important-lesson-of-all-no-matter-how-hard-you-kick-no/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [I always got a kick out of it when they called it the California Sound because it really came out of Liverpool and Greenwich…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-mcguinn/i-always-got-a-kick-out-of-it-when-they-called-it-the-california/) [Roger McGuinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-mcguinn/) Browse all 517 Kick quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The more you kick something that's dead, the worse it smells.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Barbara Stanwyck" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-stanwyck/the-more-you-kick-something-that-s-dead-the-worse-it-smells/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Kick" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-stanwyck/the-more-you-kick-something-that-s-dead-the-worse-it-smells/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2a/barbara-stanwyck-26778_kicks_the-more-you-kick-something-that-s-dead_1994511.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2a/barbara-stanwyck-26778_kicks_the-more-you-kick-something-that-s-dead_1994511.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2a/barbara-stanwyck-26778_kicks_the-more-you-kick-something-that-s-dead_1994511.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The more you kick something that's dead, the worse it smells.” — Barbara Stanwyck", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Barbara Stanwyck", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-stanwyck/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The more you kick something that's...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-stanwyck/the-more-you-kick-something-that-s-dead-the-worse-it-smells/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-stanwyck/the-more-you-kick-something-that-s-dead-the-worse-it-smells/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```