kick in
Definition
- Verb (Phrasal Verb):
- To contribute money or effort to a shared cause or fund: To give one's share, often in a group setting.
- To begin to take effect or become noticeable: To start to have an impact, often used for drugs, policies, or natural processes.
- To break something open by striking it with force: To violently force a door or similar barrier open.
Usage and Examples
- Verb (Contribute):
- If we all kick in $10, we can get her a nice gift.
- Everyone needs to kick in and help with the cleaning.
- Verb (Begin to take effect):
- The pain medication should kick in within twenty minutes.
- The new regulations will kick in at the start of the fiscal year.
- Verb (Break open):
- The firefighters had to kick in the door to rescue the occupants.
- The police kicked the door in during the raid.
Advanced Usage
- Separable Phrasal Verb: In the "break open" meaning, the verb can often be separated. You can say "kick in the door" or "kick the door in."
- Figurative Use for Effect: The "begin to take effect" meaning is frequently used figuratively for emotions, instincts, or realizations.
- My survival instincts finally kicked in.
- A sense of panic kicked in when I realized I was lost.
Variants and Related Words
- Kickoff (noun): The start of an event, especially a game or project.
- The project kickoff is scheduled for Monday.
- Kick-start (verb): To start something, especially an engine, with a kick or to energize a process.
- We need a new idea to kick-start the campaign.
Synonyms
- Contribute: Donate, chip in, pitch in.
- Begin to take effect: Activate, commence, start, set in.
- Break open: Break down, smash in, force open.
Related Phrasal Verbs
- Kick off: To start or begin.
- The meeting will kick off at 9 AM.
- Kick out: To expel or force someone to leave.
- They kicked him out of the club for fighting.
- Kick back: To relax, or to illegally pay a portion of money to someone as a reward.
- I just want to kick back and watch a movie this weekend.
Related Idioms
- Kick the bucket: (Slang) To die.
- He always said he'd travel the world before he kicked the bucket.
- A kick in the teeth: A severe setback or disappointment.
- Losing the contract was a real kick in the teeth for the company.
Verb
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open violently
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kick in the doors
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contribute to some cause
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I gave at the office
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enter a particular state
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Laziness set in
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After a few moments, the effects of the drug kicked in
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