kickoff

or kick-off

[ kik-awf, -of ]
See synonyms for kickoff on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. Football. a place kick or a drop kick from the 40-yard line of the team kicking at the beginning of the first and third periods or after the team kicking has scored a touchdown or field goal.

  2. Soccer. a kick that puts a stationary ball into play from the center line of the field at the start of a quarter or after a goal has been scored.

  1. the initial stage of something; start; beginning: the campaign kickoff.

Origin of kickoff

1
First recorded in 1855–60; noun use of verb phrase kick off

Words Nearby kickoff

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use kickoff in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for kick off

kick off

verb(intr, adverb)
  1. to start play in a game of football by kicking the ball from the centre of the field

  2. informal to commence a discussion, job, etc

nounkickoff
    • a place kick from the centre of the field in a game of football

    • the time at which the first such kick is due to take place: kickoff is at 2.30 p.m

  1. informal

    • the beginning of something

    • for a kickoff to begin with

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with kickoff

kickoff

Start, begin, as in They kicked off the celebration with a parade. This term alludes to starting play by kicking the ball in soccer, football, and similar sports. [Mid-1800s]

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.