scissors kick

4.3

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

noun
/ˈsɪz.ərz kɪk/

Specialized

: patada en tijera

To improve your sidestroke, practice the scissors kick with slow, controlled motions.

Examples

The swimming instructor demonstrated the scissors kick to help students master the sidestroke.
She performed a perfect scissors kick during the competition.
Her scissors kick was smooth and efficient, allowing her to glide gracefully through the water.
Can you show me how to do a scissors kick?
The swimming instructor demonstrated the scissors kick to help students master the sidestroke.
To improve your sidestroke, practice the scissors kick with slow, controlled motions.
Her scissors kick was smooth and efficient, allowing her to glide gracefully through the water.

Synonyms

swimming kick

vsscissors kick

2.3

A repeated leg movement in swimming that pushes the body forward

is a specific opposing leg motion commonly used during the sidestroke

How Vigorous

thrash

4 6.5

flutter kick

Specialized

3.4

scissors kick

Specialized

4.3

kick

318 1.0

Surface Forms

scissors kick singular

scissors kicks plural

Morphology

scissor + kick

The meaning is transparently composed from 'scissor(s)' (scissor-like movement) + 'kick' (a leg movement); a B1 learner who knows both words can easily infer a kick executed with a scissoring leg motion, as used in sidestroke. This is a descriptive, literal compound common in sports terminology and follows normal English compounding patterns, so it should be immediately understandable.

Etymology

Scissors kick comes from the image of the legs moving like a pair of scissors, with each kick opening and closing to push water. So, it now means the leg movement used in the 'sidestroke'.