"Kind of like" is a verb? [closed]

I am studying "American Headways 3" book to learn English. In unit 7, there is a sentence:

"I kind of like my job, but it's time I applied for another one."

My questions are:

1) "kind of like" is a verb? What is its meaning?

2) Why "apply" in the second part of the sentence is in the past form while the second part is in present form, i.e. "it is"?

3) What is the meaning of the sentence?

Thanks.

Solution 1:

"It is time [person] [past-tense]" is an idiom or variation that pretty closely translates to "It is the time for [person] to [infinitive]". So "it's time I applied" is approximately "it's the time for me to apply". There are additional shades of "I should" and "the time has come" to the former. Another example: "It is time John learned manners" =~= "It is the time for John to learn manners".

Solution 2:

"Kind of", as noted above, is an adverb modifying the verb "like." You could also say I like my job somewhat. The past tense of the word "applied" is correct; I think the reason is because it's conditional to something that may happen in the future, but those who are better grammarians may have a more accurate explanation. The sentence means that I like the job I have, but I am not completely satisfied with it so the time has come to seek a better job. ( A better job might pay more money, require shorter hours or an easier commute, offer new opportunities, etc.--aspects that the current job may lack.)