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Glite Dictionary
⚽ Striking with foot 🏊 Leg movement
kicking

kicking

1.6
Leg moves that push the body in water or during exercise
  • noun
  • /ˈkɪkɪŋ/
translation icon : patada
  • [SOUND OF KICKING] - STOP!

I get on my back and almost, I don't know, I can demonstrate it on a podcast, but you, you kind of kick, breaststroke kick on your back while I'm drinking and empty.

Examples

  • During the exercise class, we focused on kicking to build leg strength.

  • The swimmer practiced her kicking to improve her speed in the pool.

  • And I just, I don't, I couldn't imagine kicking breaststroke like it was hard enough just to I couldn't even.

  • His coach emphasized the importance of kicking to maintain a proper rhythm in freestyle swimming.

Synonyms

kick
vskicking
318 1.0

A movement of the leg or foot used in sports like swimming

is a rhythmic thrust of the legs mainly for swimming or exercise
swimming kick
vskicking
2.3

A repeated leg movement in swimming that pushes the body forward

includes rhythmic thrusts beyond water propulsion used in exercise too
flutter kick
vskicking
  • Specialized
3.4

A fast up-and-down kick with straight legs used in freestyle and backstroke

is a rhythmic leg thrust without the specific rapid straight knee motion
dolphin kick
vskicking
  • Specialized
4.0

A swimming move used underwater in which both legs move up and down together in a smooth wave

is rhythmic leg thrusting without the wave like body undulation
frog kick
vskicking
  • Specialized
3.5

A swimming movement where you pull your knees up, straighten your legs, and push them together like a frog

is rhythmic thrusting without the knee drawn outward then wide extension
scissors kick
vskicking
  • Specialized
4.3

A swimming leg movement that opens and closes the legs to move the body forward in sidestroke

is rhythmic leg thrusting without the crossing opposite leg pattern

Antonyms

to rest
816 1.0

To stop activity to relax or sleep and get energy back

stillness
38 3.5

A time of complete quiet and no movement that feels calm

Idioms

kicking and screaming
  • Informal
15 7.0

Protesting loudly while you try to avoid being forced to do something

alive and kicking
  • Informal
7 4.3

Still active and healthy after problems or a long time

Compounds

can-kicking
  • Literature
1 9.5

Putting off dealing with a difficult issue instead of making a decision now

place-kicking
  • Specialized
4.6

Kicking a ball set on the ground to score points in football or rugby

How Vigorous

kick
318 1.0
kicking
1.6

Surface Forms

kicking singular
kickings plural

Morphology

kicking = kick (transparent) = kick + ing

This sense names a rhythmic or repeated leg movement derived from the verb 'kick' via the regular '-ing' nominalization, which learners can readily infer.

Etymology

Kicking also comes from the verb kick, which meant 'to push or strike with the leg'. So when people speak of kicking in swimming or exercise, they mean the repeated leg push that moves the body through the water.