kicker

B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Informal

n. an unexpected fact or event that changes a situation, often at the end of a story.

n. an unexpected circumstance, detail, or consequence that serves as a clincher or a surprise ending.

“The car was cheap and in great condition, but here is the kicker: it has no engine.”

“The contract seemed perfect at first glance, but the real kicker was the hidden clause regarding early termination fees.”

C1 · Advanced Countable noun Technical

n. a card in your hand that is not part of a pair but is used to decide who wins if there is a tie.

n. an unpaired card held by a player that does not contribute to the rank of the hand but is used to break ties between hands of the same rank.

“Both players had a pair of aces, but John won because his kicker was a king.”

“In high-stakes Texas Hold'em, many players lose significant pots by overvaluing top pair when they have a weak kicker.”

C1 · Advanced Countable noun Technical

n. a short line of text above a main headline that gives the topic of the article.

n. a short, often provocative line of type placed above the main headline of a newspaper or magazine article.

“The editor added a clever kicker above the headline to grab the readers' attention.”

“The layout artist suggested using a bold red font for the kicker to distinguish the opinion piece from the hard news stories.”

C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Law Technical · Formal

n. an extra benefit added to a deal to make it more attractive to investors.

n. an added feature or right attached to a debt instrument or investment to make it more enticing to a lender or investor.

“The company offered a stock kicker to encourage people to buy their bonds.”

“To secure the necessary venture capital, the startup offered an equity kicker that would trigger upon the company reaching its third-quarter milestones.”

C1 · Advanced Countable noun Informal

n. a small extra motor on the back of a boat used for steering or as a backup.

n. a small auxiliary outboard motor used for trolling or as emergency backup power on a boat.

“When the main engine failed, we had to use the kicker to get back to the dock.”

“The fisherman spent the afternoon trolling slowly across the lake, using only the quiet kicker to avoid scaring the fish.”