kick up

present singular third person kicks up · participle present kicking up · participle past kicked up · past kicked up

1. To rear back; to become more active or restless; to speed up.
2. USbroadlyfigurativelyinformaltransitiveTo raise, to increase (a price).

   The rent has been kicked up again.

   2 more examples

   When Brazil triumphed over Italy in the final, it kicked up the price of Brazilian bonds.

   1998, Paul Stiles, Riding the bull: my year in the madness at Merrill Lynch, page 200

   Instead, when speaking the truth, rather than getting kicked out of town or worse, getting strung up with a rope in the South, here in Boston and the North, generally they got back at troublemakers by taking your token job, kicking up the rent, and for serious punishment, they'd agree with you and the ideas you were mouthing then as quickly as possible help you get back to the South so they could see how long you'd last.

   2010, Gary Lee Falls, Eras Way Answers, page 124

3. figurativelyinformaltransitiveTo stir up (trouble), to cause (a disturbance).

   'I'm going to ask the Deuxième to stand by. It's their territory and as it is we shall be lucky if they don't kick up rough. I'll try and persuade them to send Mathis.'

   1953, Ian Fleming, “Number 007”, in Casino Royale, London: Pan Books, published 1955, page 26

   3 more examples

   In truth, these little men were so far out of the reach of their masters, that they considered themselves as little less than immortal, and often kicked up a dust for the sole purpose of showing their authority.

   1823, James Kirke Paulding, Koningsmarke, the Long Finne, page 45

   It is no wonder that they are often heavy and indisposed, and demand on the next morning a visit to the medicine-chest to get rid of the superfluous food, which has already kicked up a disturbance.

   1874, John Henry Walsh, A Manual of Domestic Economy: Suited to Families spending from £150 to £1500 a year, page 639

   He said that the disturbances had been initiated by Tajiks, residents of the Uzbek village of Khushjar, who raided the Kyrgyz territory and kicked up a row with the locals. Blows were traded.

   2009, Christine Bichsel, Conflict transformation in Central Asia: irrigation disputes, page 92

4. colloquialtransitiveTo make more exciting.

   kick it up a notch

   2 more examples

   Why not learn to build rustic furniture? Why not learn strength training at home? If you're married, why not kick up your sex life a notch?

   2010, Neil Atkinson, The Shrewd Christian, page 65

   What about sweet "mashed" potatoes? And I had to kick it up, as my grandmother used to say, by adding a splash of bourbon. When I first tried them, I about swooned.

   2014, Ava Miles, Country Heaven Cookbook

5. informalintransitiveTo show anger (about something).

   He kicked up about it when they told him the train had been cancelled.

   1 more example

   But, you have kicked up about that a few times. I've got used to it, though. What I am not used to is how you are now. Very quiet, philosophical, and acquiescent.

   2005, Tony Gant, Sunrise Sandwiches, page 517

6. USinformalintransitiveTo function improperly; to show signs of disorder; (of an illness) to flare up.

   The car is kicking up.

   1 more example

   My ADHD is kicking up again.

   2006, Thomas E. Brown, Attention Deficit Disorder: The Unfocused Mind in Children and Adults, page 153

7. machineryTo move sharply upward.

   See, that rod there is supposed to kick up to engage the gear.

8. slangTo pass (something, such as a proposal or a share of a bribe) up a hierarchy or chain of command.

   You have to kick up some money to the boss.

   1 more example

   Let me kick your offer up and see what the execs say.

   Synonyms: run up the flagpole

9. intransitivetransitiveUsed other than figuratively or idiomatically: see kick, up.

   You could tell where he had been by the cloud of dust he had kicked up.

   1 more example

   Alyssa turned around to look at Rebecca. “I suppose you could call it that.” She walked forward and kicked the ball up to her hands. “This used to be my best ball.” “Let me see you fix it,” Rebecca said with her eyebrows raised.

   2006, C. R. Kwiat, Razor’s Box, page 68