informal remove someone from an influential position by giving them an ostensible promotion:he’ll be kicked upstairs for a year or so before taking early retirement
kick someone when they are down
cause further misfortune to someone who is already in a difficult situation:he did not believe in the doctrine that you did not kick a man when he was down
kick against
protest against or resist (something):young people are supposed to kick against the establishment
kick around (or about)
(of a thing) lie unwanted or unexploited:the idea has been kicking around for over a year
(of a person) drift idly from place to place:I kicked around picking up odd jobs
kick someone around
treat someone roughly or without respect:they can’t kick me around
kick something around (or about)
discuss a proposal informally:they had begun to kick around the idea of sending a man into space
kick back
North American informal be at leisure; relax:he has not been able to kick back and enjoy his success
kick down
British change quickly into a lower gear in a car with an automatic transmission by a sudden full depression of the accelerator.
kick in
come into effect or operation:the hospital’s emergency generators kicked in
kick something in
North American informal contribute something, especially money:if you subscribe now we’ll kick in a bonus
kick off
1(of a football match) be started or resumed by a player kicking the ball from the centre spot:World Cup games will kick off in the afternoon
(of a team or player) begin or resume a match by kicking the ball from the centre spot.
(also kick something off) informal begin or cause something to begin:the festival kicks off on MondayNew Hampshire is the state whose presidential primary kicks off the political year
2British informal become very angry; suddenly start an argument or fight:I don’t want her kicking off at me againthere aren’t many people I can kick off with and then phone up to apologize to people said he was trying to buy drugs off these guys and then it all just kicked off in the street
kick someone out
informal expel or dismiss someone:as a child he was kicked out of school
kick up
(of the wind) become stronger:we were warned that the winds might kick up by mid-morning