Using idiomatic expressions when writing will help improve the quality of your work, and it will also help you convey a message or information more simply and clearly. You are probably thinking, what does the idiom “receive a kickback” mean? Be assured of a comprehensive explanation of this idiomatic expression.
The idiomatic expression “receive a kickback” means to receive payment illegally and secretly from a person who needs help. It means to receive bribes. For example, California’s police department suspended the police chief without pay after receiving kickbacks.
As much as you would like to start using his idiomatic expression right away, you should not, as you still have a lot to learn about this idiom before you can be assured of using it correctly when writing.
What Does “Receive A Kickback” Mean?
Before we proceed into how and when to use the idiomatic expression “receive a kickback” in a sentence, we will look at the meaning and origin of the idiom first. We must do this so you can have a comprehensive understanding of the idiom.
You should know about idiomatic expressions because most of them have two meanings, a literal meaning, and a figurative meaning. The literal meaning is the meaning you can know by looking at the words of the idiom.
On the other hand, to get the figurative meaning, you need to study the idiomatic expressions well. The literal meaning is the connotative meaning, and the figurative meaning is the denotative meaning.
The idiomatic expression “receive a kickback” is one of the few idioms with a straightforward meaning. If you understand what “kickback” means, you can decipher the meaning of the idiom “receive a kickback.” So, this idiom has a literal meaning rather than a figurative meaning.
So, what does the idiomatic expression “receive a kickback” mean?
The idiom “receive a kickback” means to receive a form of payment that is illegal as a reward for help or assistance provided. When a person receives illegal payment secretly for a service rendered, it is termed “receiving a kickback.”
Another meaning of the idiom “receive a kickback” is to accept illegal payment intended to compensate for any improper service rendered. A person receiving payment after offering a questionable service is termed “receive a kickback.”
When you use the idiomatic expression “receive a kickback,” it could also refer to receive money or any other form of payment illegally in exchange for help or service rendered secretly.
The idiom “receive a kickback” can also mean payment or compensation for helping someone with something illegal. Both parties (the giver and the receiver) are aware that the activity is illegal, but they still conduct it.
What Is The Origin Of The Idiomatic Expression “Receive A Kickback”?
There is a claim that the idiom got its origin in 1926; however, there is no confirmation from official sources about the authenticity of the claimed origin of the idiomatic expression “receive a kickback.”
The phrase was used in 1962 as slang, and it was used to imply that a person was forced to return pelf (money gained illegally or dishonestly), and it also meant to pay back to the victims.
The latter was used when employers extorted workers by withholding their partial give-backs of government wages. Workers who did not receive full payment of their wages from their employers would request a kickback.
However, the idiomatic expression “receive a kickback” did not come to mean receiving improper or illegal payment after providing help or rendering a service until 1932.
The idiom “receive a kickback” got its definition from colloquial English (informal and familiar conversations).
Another source claims that the idiomatic expression “receive a kickback” was gotten from the idea that the receiver of illegal profits (the person who received help) kicks part of the gain back to the person who helped them get it.
You can see that there are illegal or dishonest gains or profit in both claims, and the person making the profit has to give something back to either the person who helped him or the person he got it from (this is the case of the employer and workers).
How Do People Use The Idiomatic Expression “Receive A Kickback”?
The idiomatic expression “receive a kickback” is used when someone has received an illegal payment for a job done or a service rendered. You use the idiom when referring to a bribe that was given to someone.
When you use the idiom “receive a kickback,” you are referring to a person who is compensated or paid for rendering an illegal service. When a person does something illegal for someone else and receives disbursement or reward for what he did, you say he received a kickback.
The idiom “receive a kickback” is also used when you receive compensation or payment for helping someone to do something that is wrong or against the country’s law, even when you are aware that what you are doing is punishable by the law.
You can also use the idiomatic expression “receive a kickback” when referring to receiving a bribe. Receiving a kickback is said to be a corrupt practice that is punishable by the law. You can also use the expression “receive kickbacks,” “receiving kickbacks,” or “receiving a kickback.”
The idiom is also used when talking about compensation for preferential treatment and other types of improper services rendered. You also use the idiom “receive a kickback” when talking about an illicit payment you received to facilitate or approve an appointment or transaction that is not supposed to be approved.
When a person receives an incentive for helping someone make profits or gains illegally, you say that person received a kickback. You use the idiom when a person receives bribes for doing or doing something illegal.
Illustrative Examples Of How To Use The Idiomatic Expression
Next, we will focus on some illustrative examples that will help provide more clarity on the idiomatic expression “receive a kickback.” These examples will help you know when and how to use the idiomatic expression in a sentence.
- Ezra, a judge of one of the most prestigious courts, was fond of receiving kickbacks to set the guilty free, but unfortunately, he was caught and had his license revoked.
- Mr. Andrew usually received kickbacks from parents for helping unserious students pass their exams, but he was caught by the principal one day, and he was terminated from the job.
- During my interaction with one of my clients, he told me to help him secure a thousand dollars loan, and if the loan transaction is successful, I will receive a kickback of $20,000, but I told him I could not help him.
- After the investigation at the hospital, they discovered that people in charge of inspecting the drugs supplied have been receiving kickbacks for the supplies of expired and fake drugs, so they received prison sentences.
- Before the examination, my seat partner requested to speak with me, so when I asked him what the problem was, he said I would receive a kickback if I allowed him to copy my answers during the examination. However, I refused the offer for fear of being caught.
- When Johnson was sentenced to some years in prison for raping a minor, his parents told the warden that he will always be receiving kickbacks as long as they let Johnson do what he likes in the cell.
- Joseph, a police officer, was said to have received a kickback from a guy he caught shoplifting, but because there was no evidence of the action, nothing was done about the said offense.
- The police chief was arrested because he was accused of receiving kickbacks from criminals to ignore lots of serious crimes committed. When he claimed that those allegations were false, his accusers provided some pieces of evidence, and he was sentenced to ten years in prison, had his title removed, and his license revoked.
- One of the reasons I left town was because of the corruption that was taking place. On getting to the new town, I found out that everyone in that town will not do what is right unless they received a kickback, and that was very frustrating.
- When I was looking through the company’s email and transactions, I found out that the company’s manager had received a kickback from another company to give them the contract to work with us.
- The government just signed a new law; any civil or public servant caught receiving kickbacks before doing their job would have their employment terminated and would be sentenced to six years imprisonment.
More English Idioms
Final Thoughts
From all the explanations above, you can term the idiomatic expression “receive a kickback” as “receive a bribe.” So when someone is bribed or paid to do something, you can say that person has received a kickback. However, it would be best to keep in mind that receiving a kickback, especially for something illegal, is punishable by the law.
You can correctly use an idiom, phrase, or word when you have an in-depth understanding of the idiom, phrase, or word. With a piece of comprehensive knowledge, you will know which idiom to use and when to use it when writing and speaking.
Shawn Manaher is the founder and CEO of The Content Authority. He’s one part content manager, one part writing ninja organizer, and two parts leader of top content creators. You don’t even want to know what he calls pancakes.