kick start

kick start

See also: kickstart and kick-start

English

kick start on a motorcyle (1)

Alternative forms

• kick-start

Etymology

kick +‎ start

Noun

kick start (plural kick starts)

1. A metal bar on a motorcycle used to start its engine.
2. An act of starting a motorcycle by quickly depressing the kick start with one's foot.

   The motorcycle requires a kick start.

3. (figuratively) A fast or strong start; help with starting or beginning well.

   As a kick start for the group, let's write up some ideas.

4. An impetus that starts or restarts some process.

Translations

metal bar on motorcycle

Finnish: käynnistyspoljin French: démarreur au pied m, pédale de mise en marche m German: Kickstarter m

Italian: impianto di avviamento m Spanish: pedal de arranque m

act of starting a motorcycle

Finnish: käynnistyspotku

French: démarrage au kick m

fast or strong start

Finnish: käynnistyspotku

French: début en beauté m, démarrage du bon pied m

impetus that starts a process

Finnish: käynnistys (fi)

French: coup de fouet (fr), relance (fr)

Verb

kick start (third-person singular simple present kick starts, present participle kick starting, simple past and past participle kick started)

1. (transitive) To start a motorcycle.

   He kick started the motorcycle and took off.

2. (transitive, figuratively) To start or begin strongly or quickly.

   To kick start your learning, let's summarize the basics.

   Kick start your day with a hearty breakfast.

3. (transitive, figuratively) To make (something) active, functional, or productive again; to reinvigorate (an activity, system, or process).

   Synonyms: reinvigorate, revitalize, jump-start

   To kick start the economy with a large construction project.

Usage notes

Noun senses 3 and 4, and verb sense 2, are considered incorrect in some circles; in all probability, the use of kick start to mean “revitalize” or “provide impetus” was derived from the metaphorical use of jump-start in that sense.

Translations

to start a motorcycle

Finnish: polkaista käyntiin

French: démarrer au kick

to start or begin strongly

Finnish: polkaista käyntiin

French: démarrer en beauté (la journée), démarrer du bon pied (la journée), bien commencer (la journée), commencer en beauté, lancer (fr), stimuler la conduite de (études), déclencher (fr), entamer (fr)

to make (something) active, functional, or productive again; to reinvigorate (an activity, system, or process).

French: relancer (fr) (l'économie, sa carrière), donner un coup de fouet à (l'économie, sa carrière), faire redémarrer (l'économie), donner un coup de pouce à (la relance), donner un coup d'accélérateur à, stimuler (fr), insuffler un dynamisme nouveau à, donner une forte impulsion à

See also

• head start
• jump start
• kick off

Further reading

• kick start on Wikipedia.Wikipedia