kick

Meaning

Verb

1. To strike or hit with the foot or other extremity of the leg.
2. To make a sharp jerking movement of the leg, as to strike something.
3. To direct to a particular place by a blow with the foot or leg.
4. To eject summarily.
5. To forcibly remove a participant from an online activity.
6. (slang) 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. To attack (a piece) in order to force it to move.
10. To accelerate quickly with a few pedal strokes in an effort to break away from other riders.
11. To show opposition or resistance.
12. To work a press by impact of the foot on a treadle.
13. To reset (a watchdog timer).
14. (informal) To reproach oneself for making a mistake or missing an opportunity.

Noun

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

Pronounced as (IPA)

/kɪk/

Etymology

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.