kick

The word “kick” means to hit or strike something with the foot. In plain terms, most often means to strike with the foot, but also used informally for removing someone from a group, quitting a habit, or a thrill/buzz someone gets from something.

“Kick” is pronounced kihk (/kɪk/ in IPA).

Here is “kick” used in a sentence: “He kicked the ball straight into the top corner.”

Depending on how it is used, “kick” can be a verb and a noun.

The word “kick” comes from Middle English. From Middle English kiken, likely from an Old Norse word meaning "to bend backwards at the knee", describing the motion of striking out with the leg.

“Kick” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.

“Kick” has 5 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to hit or strike something with the foot.

Both are forceful blows, but a kick is delivered with the foot or leg, while a punch is delivered with the fist. Kicks generally carry more power because the leg is stronger, whereas punches are quicker and use the hand. The distinction matters especially in sports and martial arts.

Beyond striking with the foot, a gun "kicks" when it recoils, a strong drink has a "kick," to "kick a habit" is to quit it, and to "get a kick out of" something means to enjoy it. As a noun, a kick is the act of kicking or a thrill.

You kick a ball when you strike it with your foot, as in football or rugby. A swimmer kicks their legs to move through water, a baby kicks in the womb, and a startled horse may kick out. Each drives the foot or leg forcefully against something.