kicks
kicks — verb
1. to strike a person, animal, or object using one's foot, or to swing the leg quic
to strike a person, animal, or object using one's foot, or to swing the leg quickly and forcefully into the air.
Dewi kicks the small stone across the school playground every morning.
kick + object across + place
The angry mule kicks anyone who tries to put a saddle on its back.
transitive, animal subject
Baby Iris kicks her tiny legs in the air when she sees her bottle.
Eitan kicks the empty soda can down the dusty road on his way home.
Feng kicks off her muddy boots before stepping into the kitchen.
文法句型
kick + noun
kick + adverb/preposition
用法筆記
Object can be the thing struck (the ball, a door) or, with adverbs like 'off' or 'down', the result of the kick. Sense 2 is the same physical action but specifically aimed at scoring in a ball sport.
常見錯誤
2. in football, rugby, or similar games, to strike the ball with your foot, especia
in football, rugby, or similar games, to strike the ball with your foot, especially in an attempt to score points.
Christopher kicks for Liverpool every Saturday and almost never misses a penalty.
kick for + team
Adaeze kicks the winning goal in the final minute of the school cup match.
kick + the (winning/decisive) goal
Vinícius kicks a perfect drop goal from forty metres out on a windy afternoon.
When Samir kicks the ball from the centre spot, his teammates run forward together.
文法句型
kick a goal
kick + for + team
用法筆記
Distinct from sense 1 in that the action is goal-directed within a sport; the ball, not a person or object, is the target. In American football and rugby, 'kick' often means score by kicking (a field goal, a conversion).
常見錯誤
3. of a gun or rifle, to jump backwards forcefully against the shooter's shoulder a
of a gun or rifle, to jump backwards forcefully against the shooter's shoulder at the moment the bullet leaves the barrel.
The old hunting rifle kicks hard, so Élise braces it tightly against her shoulder.
subject = firearm; collocation: kick hard
Emre warns the beginners that even a small shotgun kicks more than they expect.
kick + comparative (more than expected)
If the pistol kicks badly, you will miss the target on every second shot.
This new sporting rifle kicks much less than the old army model.
文法句型
[gun] kicks
用法筆記
Subject is always a gun, never a person. Almost always intransitive in this sense; the synonym 'recoil' shares this restriction.
常見錯誤
4. in the phrase 'kick oneself', to feel very annoyed at your own mistake or missed
in the phrase 'kick oneself', to feel very annoyed at your own mistake or missed chance, as if you wanted to punish yourself for it.
Soraya kicks herself for not buying the concert ticket when it was still on sale.
kick + oneself + for + -ing
Sumin kicks herself every time she remembers leaving her wallet in the taxi.
kick + oneself + every time / when
Saira will kick herself in the morning when she sees how cheap the flight became.
Heather kicks herself for trusting the stranger with her bank details.
- regret
neutral; covers a wider range from mild to deep regret
- blame oneself
more serious; suggests moral responsibility, not just a missed chance
- rejoice
the opposite emotional response
文法句型
kick oneself (for + -ing)
用法筆記
Always reflexive in this sense — the subject and object are the same person. Object must be 'myself / yourself / herself / himself / themselves / ourselves'.
常見錯誤
5. to complain loudly, push back against a rule, or refuse to accept a decision you
to complain loudly, push back against a rule, or refuse to accept a decision you think is unfair.
The students kick against the new rule banning phones at lunchtime.
kick against + noun (rule, policy)
Rania kicks every time her landlord raises the rent without notice.
kick + every time + clause
Nobody kicks when the boss gives out the yearly bonus on time.
Diego kicks at any change to the team's training schedule that he didn't approve.
- accept
agree without complaint
文法句型
kick (against + noun)
kick (at + noun)
用法筆記
Used mainly in negative or limiting contexts ('nobody kicks', 'we won't kick if…') and with the prepositions 'against' or 'at'. Distinct from sense 1 (physical) — no foot movement is involved.
常見錯誤
6. in 'kick the habit' and related phrases, to stop doing something addictive or ha
in 'kick the habit' and related phrases, to stop doing something addictive or harmful, especially smoking, drinking, or taking drugs.
Inês finally kicks the smoking habit after twenty years and three failed attempts.
kick + the [habit] + after / before time phrase
Aoi kicks her coffee dependence by switching to herbal tea every afternoon.
kick + possessive + dependence + by + -ing
Doctors say it is hard to kick a sugar habit once your taste buds adjust to it.
Theo kicks his late-night gaming habit after his grades start falling.
- pick up
start a habit
文法句型
kick the habit
kick + noun (smoking, drinking)
用法筆記
Object is usually 'the habit' or '[something] habit' (smoking, drinking, drug, gambling, sugar). The object is always the bad behaviour, never the substance itself when neutral — '*kick coffee*' sounds odd, '*kick the coffee habit*' is natural.
常見錯誤
kicks — noun
1. a hit delivered with the foot, or the action of striking out with the foot or le
a hit delivered with the foot, or the action of striking out with the foot or leg.
A few sharp kicks from the angry donkey broke the wooden gate in half.
kicks + from + animal (cause)
The goalkeeper blocks two strong kicks before letting the third one past her.
block + kicks (in a sport)
Christopher gives the locked door three hard kicks before it finally opens.
Saira's kicks during karate class are quick, sharp, and perfectly aimed.
文法句型
a kick to + body part
a kick from + person/animal
用法筆記
In the plural form 'kicks', this sense is countable and almost always quantified — 'two kicks', 'several kicks', 'a few kicks'. Object of preposition can be the target (kicks to the leg) or the source (kicks from the horse).
常見錯誤
2. a strong rush of excitement, fun, or pleasure that comes from doing something ex
a strong rush of excitement, fun, or pleasure that comes from doing something exciting or slightly risky.
Eitan gets his kicks from racing his motorcycle along the coastal road at dawn.
get + possessive + kicks + from + -ing
Some teenagers find their kicks in skateboarding down empty office stairwells.
find + possessive + kicks + in + -ing
Dewi takes weekend climbing trips just for the kicks, not the views.
Watching old horror films gives Heather a real kick on rainy evenings.
- boredom
the dull opposite
文法句型
get/give + a kick + from/out of + -ing
用法筆記
Often plural ('get kicks from', 'get one's kicks') even when the meaning is one general feeling. Distinct from sense 1 (physical blow) — no foot is involved; from sense 3 — the thrill is from an activity, not a substance.
常見錯誤
3. the strong, sharp effect that an alcoholic drink, hot spice, or strong drug has
the strong, sharp effect that an alcoholic drink, hot spice, or strong drug has on the body or senses.
This homemade chilli sauce has a real kick that wakes up every taste bud.
have + a + kick (food/drink)
Élise warns guests that her grandmother's plum brandy packs a powerful kick.
pack + a + kick
The first kick from the strong coffee hits Soraya before she even sits down.
Vinícius likes Brazilian rum partly for the kick and partly for the price.
- flatness
lack of any noticeable effect
文法句型
have/pack + a kick
用法筆記
Subject of 'has a kick' is the food, drink, or drug. Distinct from sense 2 (thrill) — sense 3 is a sensory hit (taste, head rush) caused by a substance, not the pleasure of an activity.
常見錯誤
4. a sudden short-term interest in a particular activity, food, or topic that someo
a sudden short-term interest in a particular activity, food, or topic that someone follows intensely for a while and then drops.
Aoi is on a baking kick at the moment, so the kitchen smells of bread every weekend.
be on + a + noun + kick
Adaeze went through a long jazz-piano kick during her second year at university.
go through + a + noun + kick (past habit)
Emre's latest health-food kick lasted about three weeks before he returned to pizza.
Feng's photography kick filled the family album with blurred sunset photos.
文法句型
be on + a + noun + kick
用法筆記
The compound 'noun + kick' (baking kick, fitness kick, juice kick) is almost obligatory — '*she is on a kick*' alone sounds incomplete. Subject is the person obsessed, not the activity.
常見錯誤
5. a steady up-and-down leg action that pushes a swimmer's body forward through wat
a steady up-and-down leg action that pushes a swimmer's body forward through water, or a similar move done in floor exercises.
Iris practises her flutter kicks every morning at the swimming pool before breakfast.
practise + adjective + kicks + in pool
Coach Diego counts the kicks each child does during the freestyle drill.
count + kicks (number)
Strong kicks from Samir push him to the front of the lane within seconds.
The teacher shows the children how to time their breaths with their kicks.
文法句型
[type] kick
kick + in / during + activity
用法筆記
Often modified by stroke name: 'flutter kick' (freestyle), 'frog kick' (breaststroke), 'dolphin kick' (butterfly). Distinct from sense 1 — these kicks are part of a continuous movement, not a single strike.
6. a complaint or reason to object to something that has been said, done, or decide
a complaint or reason to object to something that has been said, done, or decided.
The customer has no kicks about the food but says the service is far too slow.
have + no + kicks + about (negative)
Rania files her kicks about the new shift pattern with the union office on Monday.
file / make + kicks + about
If anyone has a kick against the plan, the chair will hear it now before the vote.
Most workers had no real kicks once the boss explained the safety reasons clearly.
文法句型
have + a kick + about/against
no kicks (negative)
用法筆記
Often used in negative or conditional sentences ('no kicks', 'if you have kicks'). Distinct from sense 2 (thrill) by context — sense 6 is about complaints, sense 2 about pleasure; from sense 1 by abstractness — no foot movement.
常見錯誤
kicks — idiom
1. in street and youth slang, the shoes that someone is wearing, particularly styli
in street and youth slang, the shoes that someone is wearing, particularly stylish trainers or sneakers chosen to look good.
Theo shows off his fresh white kicks to everyone at the basketball court on Sunday.
fresh / clean + kicks (typical modifier)
Adaeze saved her allowance for six months to buy those gold limited-edition kicks.
buy + adjective + kicks (purchasing context)
You can spot Dewi from across the street by his bright orange kicks and matching cap.
Sneaker shops in Tokyo line the wall with rare kicks that cost more than a flight.
文法句型
fresh / new / clean + kicks
用法筆記
Plural-only as a noun: never '*a kick*' meaning one shoe. Most common in sneaker culture and hip-hop contexts; in formal or neutral writing, use 'shoes', 'trainers' (British), or 'sneakers' (American).