kick

USAGE SUMMARY

The word 'kick' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when referring to either a physical kick or an emotional one. For example, "The movie gave me a real emotional kick."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Sport

Travel

Business

Music

Tech

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

37 human-written examples

Should we kick the Tories while they're down?

The Guardian

To kick off a release – in this example v1.0 – just run the following two commands: Check Travis CI to monitor your build.

The Guardian

Who knows if he'll kick straight or avoid injuries but he's going to take some majestic pack marks.

The Guardian - Sport

Dees fans will hope he doesn't kick a bag against them but you'd hope that in all other respects, his return will be a success.

The Guardian - Sport

Richard Nixon lashed out at reporters during his "last press conference" in 1962, famously proclaiming "you don't have Nixon to kick around any more".

The Guardian

She'd listen to all this and want to vote Ukip more, just to kick you in the eye".

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

23 human-written examples

Fans gathered two hours before kick-off to welcome the team bus, 55,000 tickets had been sold and the noise was deafening.

The Guardian - Sport

Maddened by his entirely deserved punishment, Rijkaard was enveloped in red mist and, as he jogged past Völler to take up his position for Andy Brehme's free-kick, he spat in the German's carefully coiffured mullet.

The Guardian - Sport

"We kick-started one year ago with 100 associated consumers," says Soares, "and now we're 500 people every week eating fruits and vegetables that otherwise would go to waste".

The Guardian - Lifestyle

It subsequently recovered, prompted by a switch from the traditional 3pm kick-off time to a primetime early evening berth in 2012, which it has retained ever since.

The Guardian

The travelling fans only had to wait two more minutes for the opening goal, though, when O'Donovan headed in a George Francomb free-kick.

The Guardian - Sport

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "kick off" to describe an event.

Common error

Avoid using "kicks" when you actually mean "quix" or "kix". "Kicks" is the plural form of kick. "Quix" is a type of game. "Kix" is a popular breakfast cereal.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "kick" is as both a noun (referring to the act of kicking or something enjoyable) and a verb (referring to the action of striking with the foot). Examples in Ludwig show its versatility.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

30%

Sport

25%

Travel

15%

Less common in

Business

10%

Music

10%

Tech

10%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The word "kick" is a versatile term, functioning as both a noun and a verb, with a wide array of meanings ranging from the literal act of striking with the foot to expressing enjoyment or initiating an event. As evidenced by Ludwig, it is widely used in various contexts, particularly in News & Media and Sports reporting. With its grammatical correctness and broad applicability, it remains a valuable term for expressing both physical actions and abstract concepts in the English language. The overall usage indicates that "kick" is a common and acceptable word with few grammatical concerns.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

strike with the foot

Focuses on the physical action of hitting something with the foot, similar to one meaning of "kick".

boot

A synonym emphasizing the forceful impact with the foot, often used interchangeably with "kick".

punt

Specifically refers to kicking a ball, narrowing the context of the action.

recoil

Highlights the backward movement resulting from a force, such as the "kick" of a gun.

thrill

Refers to a feeling of excitement or pleasure, akin to the enjoyable "kick" one might get from an experience.

remove

Similar to kicking someone out of an activity.

eliminate

Similar to kicking a bad habit, meaning to stop doing something.

get rid of

Emphasizes removing something undesirable, like to "kick" a habit.

begin

Synonymous to "kick" off an event.

start

Highlights the act of initiating something, like to "kick" off a meeting.

FAQs

How can I use "kick" in a sentence?

You can use "kick" in many ways, such as "He gave the ball a powerful kick", or "The new job gave me a real kick". It can describe a physical action or a feeling.

What does it mean to "kick the bucket"?

"Kick the bucket" is an idiom that means to die. It's an informal and often humorous way to refer to someone's death.

What can I say instead of "kick off"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives like "start", "begin", or "commence".

What is the difference between "kick" and "punt"?

Both "kick" and "punt" involve striking something with the foot, but "punt" specifically refers to kicking a ball that is dropped from the hands, often in sports like American football.