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Glite Dictionary
kick pleat

kick pleat

7.9
A short fold at the back of a straight skirt or coat that lets you walk easily
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : pliegue de movimiento
  • The dress featured a kick pleat at the back to allow for easier movement while walking.

Examples

  • The elegant skirt was designed with a kick pleat for added mobility.

  • But Bobbie's lipstick, the shoes she'd changed into, and her suit—which had a straight skirt with a kick pleat—were red.

    Fiction book (2001)

  • It was short and violet with kick pleats.

    Fiction book (1993)

  • She chose a coat with a kick pleat, ensuring she could walk comfortably.

Surface Forms

kick pleat singular
kick pleats plural

Morphology

kick + pleat

The compound 'kick pleat' is a direct noun–noun composition: 'kick' (movement) combined with 'pleat' (a fold), indicating a fold that permits kicking or easier movement. A B1 learner who knows both constituent words can plausibly infer it is a pleat that provides extra room for movement, so the meaning is transparently derivable from the parts.

Etymology

The noun kick pleat comes from a small fold of fabric at the back or side of a skirt that lets you kick your leg when you walk. The pleat opens to give extra room, so the name means 'a pleat that helps you move'.