[kick in] See: CHIP IN.

[kick in the pants] or [kick in the teeth] <n. phr.>, <informal> Unexpected scorn or insult when praise was expected; rejection. * /Mary worked hard to clean up John's room, but all she got for her trouble was a kick in the teeth./ Compare: SLAP IN THE FACE.

[kick it] <v. phr.>, <slang> To end a bad or unwanted habit such as drinking, smoking, or drug addiction. * /Farnsworth finally kicked it; he's in good shape./

[kickoff] <n.> The start of something, like a new venture, a business, a sports event, or a concert season. * /Beethoven's Ninth will be the kickoff for this summer season at Ravinia./

[kick off] <v. phr.> 1. To make the kick that begins a football game. * /John kicked off and the football game started./ 2. <informal> To begin; launch; start. * /The candidate kicked off his campaign with a speech on television./ * /The fund raising drive was kicked off with a theater party./ 3. <slang> To die. * /Mr. Jones was almost ninety years old when he kicked off./ Syn.: KICK THE BUCKET.

[kick oneself] <v. phr.>, <informal> To be sorry or ashamed; regret. * /When John missed the train, he kicked himself for not having left earlier./ * /Mary could have kicked herself for letting the secret out before it was announced officially./

[kick out] or [boot out] <v.>, <informal> To make (someone) go or leave; get rid of; dismiss. * /The boys made so much noise at the movie that the manager kicked them out./ * /The chief of police was booted out of office because he was a crook./ Syn.: THROW OUT(3).

[kick over] <v.> 1. Of a motor: To begin to work. * /He had not used his car for two months and when he tried to start it, the motor would not kick over./ 2. <slang> To pay; contribute. * /The gang forced all the storekeepers on the block to kick over $5 a week./ 3. <slang> To die. * /Mrs. O'Leary's cow kicked over this morning./

[kick over the traces] also [jump the traces] <v. phr.> To break the rules; behave badly. * /When their teacher was absent and they had a substitute, the children kicked over the traces./ Compare: ACT UP, CUT UP, LET LOOSE, OUT OF HAND, RAISE CAIN.

[kick the bucket] <v. phr.>, <slang> To die. * /Old Mr. Jones kicked the bucket just two days before his ninety-fourth birthday./ Compare: KICK OFF(3).

[kick up] <v.>, <informal> To show signs of not working right. * /John had had too much to eat and his stomach started to kick up./ * /After working well for a year the air conditioner suddenly started kicking up./

[kick up a fuss] or [kick up a row] or [raise a row] also [kick up a dust] <v. phr.>, <informal> To make trouble; make a disturbance. * /When the teacher gave the class five more hours of homework, the class kicked up a fuss./ * /When the teacher left the room, two boys kicked up a row./ Compare: RAISE CAIN, RAISE THE ROOF.

[kick up one's heels] <v. phr.>, <informal> To have a merry time; celebrate. * /When exams were over the students went to town to kick up their heels./ * /Mary was usually very quiet but at the farewell party she kicked up her heels and had a wonderful time./

[kid] See: HANDLE WITH GLOVES or HANDLE WITH KID GLOVES, HANDLE WITHOUT GLOVES or HANDLE WITHOUT KID GLOVES.

[kiddie car] <n.>, <slang>, <citizen's band radio jargon> A school bus. * /Watch out for that kiddie car coming up behind you!/

[kill] See: CURIOSITY KILLED THE CAT, IN AT THE KILL.

[kill off] <v.> To kill or end completely; destroy. * /The factory dumped poisonous wastes into the river and killed off the fish./ * /The president suggested a new law to Congress but many members of Congress were against the idea and they killed it off./ * /Mother made Nancy practice her dancing an hour every day; Nancy got tired of dancing and that killed off her interest./

[kill the goose that laid the golden egg] To spoil something that is good or something that you have, by being greedy.
– A proverb. * /Mrs. Jones gives you an apple from her tree whenever you go by her house, but don't kill the goose that laid the golden egg by bothering her too much./

[kill time] <v. phr.> To cause the time to pass more rapidly; waste time. * /The plane trip to Hong Kong was long and tiring, but we managed to kill time by watching several movies./

[kill two birds with one stone] <v. phr.> To succeed in doing two things by only one action; get two results from one effort. * /Mother stopped at the supermarket to buy bread and then went to get Jane at dancing class; she killed two birds with one stone./ * /The history teacher told us that making an outline kills two birds with one stone; it makes us study the lesson till we understand it, and it gives us notes to review before the test./

[kilter] See: OUT OF KILTER.

[kind] See: IN A WAY also IN A KIND OF WAY, IN KIND.

[kindly] See: TAKE KINDLY TO.

[kind of] or [sort of] <adv. phr.>, <informal> Almost but not quite; rather. * /A guinea pig looks kind of like a rabbit, but it has short ears./ * /Bob was kind of tired when he finished the job./ * /The teacher sort of frowned but then smiled./ * /Mary wouldn't tell what she wanted to be when she grew up; it was sort of a secret./

[kindled spirits] <n. phr.> People who resemble each other in numerous ways, including their ways of thinking and feeling. * /They are kindred spirits; they both like to go on long walks in the forest./