kick in
Britishverb
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(intr) to start or become activated
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informal (tr) to contribute
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Contribute one's share, as in We'll kick in half if you take care of the rest . [ Colloquial ; c. 1900]
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Also, kick off . Die, as in No one knows when he'll kick in , or He finally kicked off yesterday . [ Slang ; first half of 1900s] Also see kick the bucket .
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Begin to operate, as in Finally the motor kicked in and we could get started . This usage was first recorded in 1908.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
At one of the two main public hospitals, a doctor in the pediatrics emergency department is used to watching medical equipment suddenly shut down until the generators kick in.
From Barron's ● Sep. 13, 2026
Treasury’s increase in buybacks for longer-dated bonds will kick in.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 9, 2026
But you still have some time left before those all-important RMDs kick in.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 2, 2026
Canada's new tariffs take effect in two weeks, while the most significant US retaliation - a 50% tariff on Canadian-built vehicles and auto parts - will not kick in until early 2027.
From BBC ● Aug. 26, 2026
Such levels of planning are ordinarily thought to kick in with the transition to agriculture.
From "1491" by Charles C. Mann
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
