kick upstairs

British  

verb

1. informal (tr, adverb) to promote to a nominally higher but effectively powerless position

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kick upstairs Idioms  

1. Promote someone to a higher but less desirable position, especially one with less authority. For example, Paul never forgave the company for kicking him upstairs at age 55. This expression alludes to its antonym, kick downstairs, simply meaning “eject.” [Mid-1900s]

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Example Sentences

His kick upstairs to the bench brought no heartier sighs of relief from any area than from labor's.

From Time Magazine Archive