kick off
To start something, like a meeting or a football game, or to get very angry about something.
Meanings
To begin an event, game, meeting, or activity.
"The festival kicks off on Friday evening with a free outdoor concert."
In football/soccer, to start play by kicking the ball from the centre spot.
"England will kick off at 3 pm in front of a packed stadium."
(British informal) To suddenly become very angry or cause a scene.
"He kicked off when he found out they'd given his table away."
To force someone to leave a place, team, or group.
"She was kicked off the course for consistently missing deadlines."
The 'begin' sense is very common in everyday English and covers meetings, concerts, events, campaigns, and sports. In British informal English, 'kick off' means to suddenly become very angry or cause trouble. The football sense is literal and widely understood.
Commonly used with
Forms
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Synonyms
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