1. 明升暗降：kickback:回扣,佣金 | kick upstairs:明升暗降 | ★towards prep. 朝,向

2. 使明升暗降：right-hand man 得力助手 | kick upstairs 使明升暗降 | get booted 被赶出

3. 把某人踢到樓上去,表面上是讓他居高位,但實際上是為了自己的利益：We made our bed, we sleep in it. 我們自己闖的禍,我們自己擔. | kick upstairs 把某人踢到樓上去,表面上是讓他居高位,但實際上是為了自己的利益 | trickle 涓絹細流

verb

1. give a promotion to or assign to a higher position

e.g. John was kicked upstairs when a replacement was hired
Women tend not to advance in the major law firms
I got promoted after many years of hard work

Synonym: promoteupgradeadvanceraiseelevate