kick-off

• kickoff

Deverbal from kick off.

kick-off (plural kick-offs)

1. (soccer, American football) The opening kick of each half of a game of football.
   • 2011 January 11, Jonathan Stevenson, “West Ham 2 - 1 Birmingham”, in BBC‎^[1]:

     The atmosphere at Upton Park before kick-off reflected the palpable tension surrounding the club right now

   • 2021 July 4, Michael Savage, “Early kick-offs linked to more alcohol abuse and violence in the home”, in The Observer‎^[2]:

     Alcohol consumption following football matches is fuelling domestic abuse in the hours after a game, according to new evidence suggesting that changing kick-off times could help reduce violence.

2. (by extension) The opening sequence of any event.
   • 1990 February 4, Laura Briggs, “Gay Republican To Oppose Black Rep”, in Gay Community News, volume 17, number 29, page 3:

     Duffy, 26, began a campaign for the 9th Suffolk district […] The crowd of approximately 50 people at his kickoff party was overwhelming composed of other young, white gay men.

   • 1952, Anthony Buckeridge, Jennings and Darbishire:

     Darbishire glanced at the first manuscript. "This one’s pretty ribby for a kick-off. It’s Binns’ famous effort.”

3. (music) The opening sequence of notes in a song, usually played by the song's main instrument, to indicate the beginning of the song.