4 PHRASAL VERB To kick someone off an area of land means to force them to leave it. [INFORMAL ] □ [V n P n] We can't kick them off the island. [Also V n P ]
▸ kick out
1 PHRASAL VERB To kick someone out of a place means to force them to leave it. [INFORMAL ] □ [V n P + of ] The country's leaders kicked five foreign journalists out of the country. □ [V n P ] Her family kicked her out. [Also V P n]
2 → see also kick 3
▸ kick up
1 PHRASAL VERB If you kick up a fuss about something, you make it very obvious that you are annoyed or dissatisfied. □ [V P n] Those customers who have kicked up a fuss have received refunds.
2 PHRASAL VERB If you kick up dust or dirt, you create a cloud of dust or dirt as you move along a dusty road. □ [V P n] She shuffled along, kicking up clouds of dust.
kick|back /k I kbæk/ (kickbacks ) N‑COUNT A kickback is a sum of money that is paid to someone illegally, for example money which a company pays someone to arrange for the company to be chosen to do an important job. □ …alleged kickbacks and illegal party financing.
ki ck box|ing also kickboxing N‑UNCOUNT Kick boxing is a type of boxing in which the opponents are allowed to kick as well as punch each other.
ki ck-off (kick-offs ) in AM, use kickoff 1 N‑VAR In football, the kick-off is the time at which a particular game starts. [BRIT ] □ The kick-off is at 1.30.
2 N‑COUNT In American football, a kickoff is the kick that begins a play, for example at the beginning of a half or after a touchdown or field goal. [AM ]
3 N‑SING The kick-off of an event or activity is its beginning. [INFORMAL ] □ [+ of ] People stood waiting for the kick-off of the parade.
ki ck-sta rt (kick-starts , kick-starting , kick-started ) also kickstart
1 VERB To kick-start a process that has stopped working or progressing is to take a course of action that will quickly start it going again. □ [V n] The President has chosen to kick-start the economy by slashing interest rates. ● N‑COUNT Kick-start is also a noun. □ The housing market needs a kick-start.
2 VERB If you kick-start a motorcycle, you press the lever that starts it with your foot. □ [V n] He lifted the bike off its stand and kick-started it.
kid ◆◆◇ /k I d/ (kids , kidding , kidded )
1 N‑COUNT You can refer to a child as a kid . [INFORMAL ] □ They've got three kids. □ All the kids in my class could read.
2 ADJ [ADJ n] You can refer to your younger brother as your kid brother and your younger sister as your kid sister. [INFORMAL ]
3 N‑COUNT A kid is a young goat.
4 VERB [usu cont] If you are kidding , you are saying something that is not really true, as a joke. [INFORMAL ] □ [V ] I'm not kidding, Frank. There's a cow out there, just standing around. □ [V n] Are you sure you're not kidding me?
5 VERB If you kid someone, you tease them. □ [V n] He liked to kid Ingrid a lot. □ [V n + about ] He used to kid me about being chubby.
6 VERB If people kid themselves , they allow themselves to believe something that is not true because they wish that it was true. □ [V pron-refl] We're kidding ourselves, Bill. We're not winning, we're not even doing well. □ [V pron-refl that] I could kid myself that you did this for me, but it would be a lie.
7 CONVENTION You can say ' No kidding? ' to show that you are interested or surprised when someone tells you something. [INFORMAL , FEELINGS ] □ 'We won.'—'No kidding?'
8 PHRASE You can say ' you've got to be kidding ' or ' you must be kidding ' to someone if they have said something that you think is ridiculous or completely untrue. [INFORMAL , FEELINGS ] □ You've got to be kidding! I can't live here!
9 PHRASE You can say ' who is she kidding? ' or ' who is he trying to kid? ' if you think it is obvious that someone is not being sincere and does not mean what they say. [INFORMAL ] □ She played the role of a meek, innocent, shy girl. I don't know who she was trying to kid.
kid|die /k I di/ (kiddies ) also kiddy N‑COUNT A kiddie is a very young child. [INFORMAL ]
kiddo /k I doʊ/ (kiddos ) N‑COUNT You can call someone kiddo , especially someone who is younger than you, as a sign of affection. [mainly AM , INFORMAL ] □ I'll miss you kiddo.
ki d glo ves N‑PLURAL [oft with N ] If you treat someone or something with kid gloves , or if you give them the kid glove treatment, you are very careful in the way you deal with them. □ In presidential campaigns, foreign policy is treated with kid gloves.
kid|nap /k I dnæp/ (kidnaps , kidnapping , kidnapped ) in AM, also use kidnaped , kidnaping 1 VERB To kidnap someone is to take them away illegally and by force, and usually to hold them prisoner in order to demand something from their family, employer, or government. □ [V n] Police in Brazil uncovered a plot to kidnap him. □ [V ] They were intelligent and educated, yet they chose to kidnap and kill. □ [V -ed] The kidnapped man was said to have been seized by five people. ● kid|nap|per (kidnappers ) N‑COUNT □ The kidnappers repeated demands for $1.5 billion and the release of two local leaders. ● kid|nap|ping (kidnappings ) N‑VAR □ Two youngsters have been arrested and charged with kidnapping.