kick the tin

kick the tin

1. Especially in politics, to postpone or defer a definitive action, decision, or solution, usually by effecting a short-term one instead. Often followed by "down the road." Primarily heard in UK. It looks as though they're going to kick the tin down the road again on the tax issue, but they'll have to find a lasting solution eventually.2. To make a financial contribution; to be responsible for paying a certain amount of money. Primarily heard in Australia. We had expected my father-in-law would kick the tin for an additional $1 million investment, but he said he didn't want to put any more money into the project. After these financial crises, it's always the taxpayer who ends up kicking the tin to pay off the government's bad debts.See also: kick, tin

kick the tin

AUSTRALIAN, INFORMALIf you kick the tin, you give someone money or pay for something. Fifty per cent of our customers said they would kick the tin for an in-car premium sound system.See also: kick, tin

kick the tin

make a contribution of money for a particular purpose. Australian informal The ‘tin’ was originally literally a tin can into which money was thrown.See also: kick, tin