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Can the verb "kick start" be used in this sentence? Kick-start your skills in just 1 month
Context: Let's say I want to invite somebody to take a 1-month course and improve his/her skills. I want to include this sentence as motivation. Does it sound natural to a native speaker?
The verb "kick-start" is used that way, often enough to appear in dictionaries:
American Heritage Dictionary "kick-start" (2)
- Informal To start or reinvigorate (an activity, system, or process): kick-start the economy with a large construction project.
This dictionary refers that definition of "kick-start" to the definition of "jump-start", which is used almost identically:
Merriam-Webster "jump-start" (2)
a : to start or restart (something) rapidly or forcefully advertising can jump-start a political campaign
b : to impart fresh or renewed energy to (something) : energize a plan to jump-start the stagnant economy
So, yes, it sounds natural, but it is informal. The metaphor derives from the "kick starter" of a motorcycle. In the case of "jump start", it's from the use of another vehicle's battery to start a vehicle whose battery is dead.
