kick off

kick off  {v. phr.}

1. To make the kick that begins a football game.

John kicked off and the football game started.

2.  {informal}

To begin; launch; start.

The candidate kicked off his campaign with a speech on television.

The fund raising drive was kicked off with a theater party.

3.  {slang}

To die.

Mr. Jones was almost ninety years old when he kicked off.

Syn.: KICK THE BUCKET.