Standard Lemma guide

kickback

noun · 11 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ˈkɪkbæk/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: K IH1 K B AE2 K Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A backward kick; a retrograde movement of an extremity.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A covert, often illegal, payment in return for a favor consisting of providing an opportunity of chargeable transaction; especially, a kind of quid pro quo in which if you (an insider) secretly help me (an outsider) win the bid for the contract then I will secretly send you a portion of the contract value; thus, a kind of bribe.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, informal

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: bribe, backhander, bung, payoff, coffee money, cold drink money, dash, douceur, inducement, kopi money, pay-off, payola, subornation, sweetener, tea money

3

noun

Meaning 3

Recoil; a sudden backward motion, usually in the direction of the operator.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable

Qualifier: machinery

Topics: engineering, firearms, government, military, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, politics, tools, war, weaponry

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

An accident where an object being cut by a rotating blade or disk, such as a circular saw, is caught by the blade and thrown outward.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable

Qualifier: machinery

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

An accident wherein the upper tip of the bar of a running chainsaw contacts a relatively immovable object, forcing the bar upwards and pressing the running chain more firmly against the object, causing the saw to be hurled upwards and backwards into the operator's face.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Qualifier: machinery

Topics: business, forestry

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

noun

Meaning 6

A dangerous buildup of gas pressure at the wellhead.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Qualifier: oil industry

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

noun

Meaning 7

The board separating one bowling lane from another at the pit end.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable

Topics: bowling, hobbies, lifestyle, sports

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

noun

Meaning 8

In contract bridge, an ace asking convention initiated by the first step above four of the agreed trump suit.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable

Topics: bridge, games

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

9

noun

Meaning 9

A feature that saves the ball from draining and propels it back into play.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Qualifier: pinball

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

10

noun

Meaning 10

A relaxed party.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: kicker

Antonyms: none provided

11

noun

Meaning 11

a commercial bribe paid by a seller to a purchasing agent in order to induce the agent to enter into the transaction

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: bribe, payoff

History

Etymology

Deverbal from kick back.

Across languages

Translations

43 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Finnish: potku taakse — backward kick
  • Polish: kopnięcie do tyłu — backward kick
  • Swedish: bakslag — backward kick
  • Armenian: ատկատ (atkat) — covert payment in return for a favor
  • Chinese Mandarin: 回扣 (huíkòu) — covert payment in return for a favor
  • Danish: returkommission — covert payment in return for a favor
  • Dutch: smeergeld — covert payment in return for a favor
  • Finnish: lahjus — covert payment in return for a favor
  • French: rétrocommission — covert payment in return for a favor
  • German: verdeckte Rückvergütung — covert payment in return for a favor
  • German: Retrozession — covert payment in return for a favor
  • German: Kickback — covert payment in return for a favor
  • German: Kick-back — covert payment in return for a favor
  • German: Kick-Back — covert payment in return for a favor
  • Hungarian: kenőpénz — covert payment in return for a favor
  • Italian: contraccolpo — covert payment in return for a favor
  • Italian: sconto — covert payment in return for a favor
  • Italian: abbuono — covert payment in return for a favor
  • Italian: tangente — covert payment in return for a favor
  • Italian: bustarella — covert payment in return for a favor
  • Italian: mazzetta — covert payment in return for a favor
  • Italian: pizzo — covert payment in return for a favor
  • Japanese: キックバック (kikkubakku) — covert payment in return for a favor
  • Polish: łapówka — covert payment in return for a favor
  • Russian: отка́т (otkát) — covert payment in return for a favor
  • Swedish: provision — covert payment in return for a favor
  • Swedish: muta — covert payment in return for a favor
  • Finnish: rekyyli — sudden backward motion; recoil
  • German: Rückschlag — sudden backward motion; recoil
  • Polish: odrzut — sudden backward motion; recoil
  • Russian: отка́т (otkát) — sudden backward motion; recoil
  • Swedish: rekyl — sudden backward motion; recoil
  • Finnish: takaisku — accident wherein an object is caught by the blade and thrown outward
  • Finnish: takapotku — accident wherein an object is caught by the blade and thrown outward
  • Polish: odrzut — accident wherein an object is caught by the blade and thrown outward
  • Swedish: motreaktion — accident wherein an object is caught by the blade and thrown outward
  • Finnish: takaisku — dangerous buildup of gas pressure at the wellhead
  • Polish: nagromadzenie gazu — dangerous buildup of gas pressure at the wellhead
  • Finnish: takaisku — board separating one bowling lane from another at the pit end
  • Polish: deska oddzielająca tory bowlingowe — board separating one bowling lane from another at the pit end
  • Polish: kickback — an ace asking convention (in contract bridge)
  • Polish: kickback — feature that saves the ball and propels it back into play (pinball)
  • Polish: luźna impreza — relaxed party