Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. to cause trouble, to react unfavourably, usu. in combs., see below and at individual nouns.

1764		K. O’Hara Midas I ii: Nor doubt I, with my voice, guittar and person, Among the nymphs to kick up some diversion.
1828		‘Jon Bee’ Living Picture of London 159: Another of the same stamp had offered him ‘hush-money,’ on his ‘kicking up a bubbery’ at the public-house, where it happened.
1834		Londonderry Sentinel 5 Apr. n.p.: [He] meets with the mob, and then [...] cries ‘Kick up a dust, but keep peace all the while’.
1851		Western Police Gaz. (Cincinnati, OH) 29 Mar. n.p.: I kicked up a high dust. She was so inquistive as to look into my letters.
1865		Columbia Phoenix (SC) 20 Apr. 4/2: Lucy [...] you’re a critter as has kicked up a good deal of mischief with me — but I forgive you.
1877		‘Lannigan’s Ball’ in Yankee Paddy Comic Song Book 5: Myself got a lick from big Phelim McHugh, / But soon I replied to his kind introduction, / And kicked up a terrible Phillabaloo.
1885		Bulletin (Sydney) 27 June 11/1: Dear Bob, – I am sorry to tell you that I am going away up North on a station to live with Tom. I promised him to go the time you went to town and kicked up such a spree.
1898		Binstead & Wells Pink ’Un and Pelican 92: Oh what a hullabaloo that stranger kicked up.
1919		F. Hurst ‘Heads’ in Humoresque 214: You just kick up nasty at the last minute and watch me!
1921		Eve. Star (Wash., DC) 30 Jan. 62/1: He’s continually dinging at me about getting married, and then when I show [...] interest in anybody, there he goes kicking up the dust.
1930		Western Morn. News 10 Mar. 4/2: Greevey made a threat to ‘kick up murder’ as she was coming up the street.
1935		D. Lamson We Who Are About to Die 108: The men kick up the devil of a racket.
1953		I. Fleming Casino Royale (1955) 21: We shall be lucky if they don’t kick up rough.
1961		W.R. Burnett Round the Clock at Volari’s, 5: When Larry’s nerves began to kick up he always talked in that disjointed manner.
1999		Observer 3 Oct. 27: He’s kicked up rough about the Sensation exhibition.

2. to create, to make something happen; thus kicker-up, one who creates, who makes things happen.

1865		Leaves from Diary of Celebrated Burglar 150/1: ‘Blast my hyes if she ain’t a saucy little jade,’ cried Folkstone, as he rapturously eyed his little ‘kicker-up’ of graft.
1966		(con. 1950s) L. Bennett ‘Free Movement’ in Jamaica Labrish 163: Dem leggo line an kick up shine / An call it Carnival!

3. to increase the action of a mechanism, e.g. a car's engine, a stereo’s volume.

1973		J. Wambaugh Onion Field 91: Jimmy pulled out onto the Harbor Freeway and kicked it up to seventy.
1997		(con. 1970s) G. Pelecanos King Suckerman (1998) 59: Cooper slapped in a Buddy Miles cassette [...] and kicked it up.

4. (US) to start.

1997

Simon & Burns Corner (1998) 270: If Family Affair had testers out yesterday during ‘All My Children,’ then you best get your ass down to mount Street when the same soap kicks up tomorrow.

5. (US Und.) to pass on a share of a bribe to a senior rank in one’s organization.

2006		D. Winslow Winter of Frankie Machine (2007) 28: You can do about anything in this country as long as you kick up to the feds. Uncle wants his taste.
2017		D. Winslow The Force [ebook] The patrolmen would kick up to the sergeants, the sergeants to the lieutenants, the lieutenants to the captains, [etc].
2021		T. Pluck Boy from County Hell 204: ‘You and Okie Kincaid tore through three payroll trucks on my turf and didn’t kick up a penny’.

6. of rain or storms, to be extreme.

2015

I. Welsh Decent Ride 78: It’s fuckin kickin up up big time ootside.