kick

Meaning

Verb

1. (transitive) To strike or hit with the foot or other extremity of the leg.
2. (intransitive) To make a sharp jerking movement of the leg, as to strike something.
3. (transitive) To direct to a particular place by a blow with the foot or leg.
4. To eject summarily.
5. (Internet, transitive) To forcibly remove a participant from an online activity.
6. (slang, transitive) To overcome (a bothersome or difficult issue or obstacle); to free oneself of (a problem).
7. To move or push suddenly and violently.
8. To recoil; to push by recoiling.
9. (transitive) To attack (a piece) in order to force it to move.
10. (intransitive) To accelerate quickly with a few pedal strokes in an effort to break away from other riders.
11. (intransitive) To show opposition or resistance.
12. (historical) To work a press by impact of the foot on a treadle.
13. (transitive) To reset (a watchdog timer).
14. (informal, reflexive) To reproach oneself for making a mistake or missing an opportunity.

Noun

1. (countable, uncountable) A hit or strike with the leg, foot or knee.
2. (countable, uncountable) The action of swinging a foot or leg.
3. (colloquial, countable, uncountable) Something that tickles the fancy; something fun or amusing; a pleasure; a thrill.
4. (Internet, countable, uncountable) The removal of a person from an online activity.
5. (countable, figuratively, uncountable) Any bucking motion of an object that lacks legs or feet.
6. (countable, uncountable) A pungent or spicy flavour; piquancy.
7. (countable, uncountable) A stimulation provided by an intoxicating substance.
8. (countable, uncountable) A pass played by kicking with the foot.
9. (countable, uncountable) The distance traveled by kicking the ball.
10. (countable, uncountable) The recoil of a gun.
11. (countable, informal, uncountable) A pocket.
12. (countable, uncountable) An increase in speed in the final part of a running race.
13. (countable, uncountable) Synonym of kicker (“backlight positioned at an angle”).
14. (British, colloquial, countable, dated, historical, uncountable) Sixpence.
15. (colloquial, countable, uncountable) A shoe.

Synonyms

boot

👢

recoil

kicking

blow

hit

thrill

shoot

complain

bitch

buck

bang

punch

👊

charge

beef

strike

kick back

spurn

squawk

rush

punt

plain

sound off

hoof

gripe

moan

give up

quetch

throw up

thrust

throw

trample

beat

shot

bump

spur

tread on

referee

die

💀

reject

prance

pleasure

pulse

cuff

balk

rejection

kick off

kvetch

flush

attack

👊

grumble

Translations

coup de pied

patear

treten

calcio

chutar

patada

ruer

pedata

schoppen

calciare

botter

trappen

donner un coup de pied

Pronounced as (IPA)

/kɪk/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: kyken

Cognate with Old Norse: keikr

Cognate with Dutch: kijken

Cognate with Middle Low German: kīken

In summary

From Middle English kyken (“to strike out with the foot”), 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 *kaikaz (“bent backwards”), of uncertain origin. Perhaps from Proto-Germanic *kī-, *kij- (“to split, dodge, swerve sidewards”), from Proto-Indo-European *ǵeyH- (“to sprout, shoot”). Compare also Dutch kijken (“to look”), Middle Low German kīken (“to look, watch”). See keek.