Green’s Dictionary of Slang

kick it v.¹

to die.

1890		H. Nisbet ‘Bail Up!’ 105: Four on them sickened all at once in the camp we had struck, and after they had kicked it, my two mates went with me [F&H].
1943		R. Llewellyn None But the Lonely Heart 159: What did he have when he kicked it? [...] not a fadger in the world.
1959		J. Osborne World of Paul Slickey Act II: Well, it doesn’t seem much fun sitting about here waiting for the old boy to kick it off.
1986		J.B. Keane Bodhrán Makers 182: When Bluenose and myself kicks it that’s the last Dirrabeg will see of them.
1998		J. O’Connor Salesman 366: They put y’in the fuckin’ shroud before y’even kick it.
2000		Guardian Weekend 26 Feb. 3: Peanuts creator Charles Schulz kicked it.
2009		L. McIlvanney All the Colours 262: ‘Would you ever come back?’ ‘You mean when the folks kick it?’.