• Kick

    Pronunciation

    Origin 1

    From Middle English kiken ("to strike out with the foot"), probably from Old Norse kikna ("to sink at the knees") and keikja ("to bend backwards") (compare Old Norse keikr ("bent backwards, the belly jutting forward")), from Proto-Germanic *kaik-, *kaikaz ("bent backwards"), of uncertain origin. Perhaps from Proto-Germanic *kī-, *kij- ("to split, dodge, swerve sidewards"), from Proto-Indo-European *ǵeyǝ- ("to sprout, shoot"). Compare also Dutch kijken ("to look"), Middle Low German kīken ("to look, watch"). See keek.

    Full definition of kick

    Verb

    1. (transitive) To strike or hit with the foot or other extremity of the leg.Did you kick your brother?
      • 1877, Anna Sewell, , Chapter 1: My Early Home,Sometimes we had rather rough play, for they would frequently bite and kick as well as gallop.
      • 1895, George MacDonald, , Chapter XII: Friends and Foes,I was cuffed by the women and kicked by the men because I would not swallow it.
      • 1905, Fielding H. Yost, , Chapter 6,A punt is made by letting the ball drop from the hands and kicking it just before it touches the ground.
      • 1919, Sherwood Anderson, , The Teacher: concerning Kate Swift,Will Henderson, who had on a light overcoat and no overshoes, kicked the heel of his left foot with the toe of the right.
    2. (intransitive) To make a sharp jerking movement of the leg, as to strike something.He enjoyed the simple pleasure of watching the kickline kick.
      • 1904, Stratemeyer Syndicate, , Chapter II: Rope Jumping, and What Followed,"If you did that, I'd kick," answered Freddie, and began to kick real hard into the air.
    3. (transitive) To direct to a particular place by a blow with the foot or leg.Kick the ball into the goal.
      • 1905, Fielding H. Yost, , Chapter 7,Sometimes he can kick the ball forward along the ground until it is kicked in goal, where he can fall on it for a touchdown.
    4. (with "off" or "out") To eject summarily.
      • 1936 October, Robert E. Howard, , published in "He's been mad at me ever since I fired him off'n my payroll. After I kicked him off'n my ranch he run for sheriff, and the night of the election everybody was so drunk they voted for him by mistake, or for a joke, or somethin', and since he's been in office he's been lettin' the sheepmen steal me right out of house and home."
      • 1976 February 3, Bill Gates, ,They are the ones who give hobbyists a bad name, and should be kicked out of any club meeting they show up at.
    5. (Internet) To remove a participant from an online activity.He was kicked by ChanServ for flooding.
    6. (slang) To overcome (a bothersome or difficult issue or obstacle); to free onself of (a problem).By taking that medication, he managed to get his triggered phobia of heights kicked.I still smoke, but they keep telling me to kick the habit.
    7. To move or push suddenly and violently.He was kicked sideways by the force of the blast.
      • 2011, Tom Andry, Bob Moore: No Hero,The back of the car kicked out violently, forcing me to steer into the slide and accelerate in order to maintain control.
    8. (of a firearm) To recoil; to push by recoiling.
      • 2003, Jennifer C. D. Groomes, The Falcon Project, page 174,Lying on the ground, when fired, it kicked me back a foot. There was no way a person my size was going to be able to do an effective job with this gun.
      • 2006, Daniel D. Scherschel, Maple Grove, page 81,I asked my sister Jeanette if she wanted to shoot the 12 ga. shotgun. She replied, "does it kick"?

    Descendants

    Noun

    kick

    (plural kicks)
    1. A hit or strike with the leg or foot or knee.A kick to the knee.
      • 1890, Jacob Riis, , Chapter VII: A Raid on the Stable-Beer Dives,A kick of his boot-heel sent the door flying into the room.
      • 2011, Phil McNulty, Euro 2012: Montenegro 2-2 England http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/15195384.stmElsad Zverotic gave Montenegro hope with a goal with the last kick of the first half - and when Rooney was deservedly shown red by referee Wolfgang Stark, England were placed under pressure they could not survive.
    2. The action of swinging a foot or leg.The ballerina did a high kick and a leap.
    3. (colloquial) Something that tickles the fancy; something fun or amusing.I finally saw the show. What a kick!I think I sprained something on my latest exercise kick.
    4. (Internet) The removal of a person from an online activity.
    5. A button (of a joypad, joystick or similar device) whose only or main current function is that when it is pressed causes a video game character to kick.
    6. (figuratively) Any bucking motion of an object that lacks legs or feet.The car had a nasty kick the whole way.The pool ball took a wild kick, up off the table.
    7. (uncountable and countable) piquancy
    8. A stimulation provided by an intoxicating substance.
    9. (soccer) A pass played by kicking with the foot.
    10. (soccer) The distance traveled by kicking the ball.a long kick up the field.
    11. a recoil of a gun.
    12. (informal) pocket
    13. An increase in speed in the final part of a running race.
    14. (chess, transitive) To attack (a piece) in order to force it to move.

    Descendants

    Derived terms

    Terms derived from the noun or verb kick

    Origin 2

    Shortening of kick the bucket

    Verb

    1. To die.
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