1 B1 idiomatic informal
To relax completely, usually at home, after work or effort.
"After a long week, all I want to do is kick back and watch a film."
inseparable
kick back
B1 informal separable transitive/intransitive
To relax completely and do nothing; to receive or pay an illegal payment as a bribe; or to recoil from a force.
In plain English
To sit and relax with nothing to do, or (more serious) to give someone money illegally for doing you a favour.
What does "kick back" mean?
3 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B2 idiomatic neutral
To pay or receive money illegally in exchange for a favour, contract, or advantage.
"The contractor was accused of kicking back a portion of the contract value to the official who awarded it."
separable
3 B2 neutral
To recoil with force, as a gun or engine does when activated.
"Be prepared for the rifle to kick back when you fire — keep it firmly against your shoulder."
inseparable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To kick backwards in reaction to something.
Actually means
To sit and relax with nothing to do, or (more serious) to give someone money illegally for doing you a favour.
Usage tip
The relaxation sense is very common and positive in informal American English. The bribery sense ('kickback') is used in legal, journalistic, and political contexts and is always negative. The recoil sense is literal (e.g. a gun kicking back).
Words that pair with "kick back"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
relax couch evening bribe money gun
How to conjugate "kick back"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
kick back
I/you/we/they
3rd person
kicks back
he/she/it
Past simple
kicked back
yesterday
Past participle
kicked back
have + pp
-ing form
kicking back
continuous
Hear "kick back" in the wild
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Other ways to say "kick back"
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