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You know what it looks like… but what is it called?
TAKE THE QUIZscissors kick
noun
: a swimming kick used especially in sidestrokes in which the legs move like scissors
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web
This makes the dead bug more of a beginner-friendly core exercise, while the scissors kick tends to be a more intense, advanced movement.
—
Jenny Mccoy, SELF, 9 July 2022
Aduriz had, by his own estimation, tried a thousand scissor kicks — what the Spanish call a chilena — during his career.
—Rory Smith, New York Times, 19 May 2020
Tsonga played along, and the two went back and forth for a few exchanges before Paire double-faulted when going for an acrobatic scissor kick.
—Avi Creditor, SI.com, 18 June 2019
Seconds later, Shaw saw yellow when her right foot cruised into the mouth of Italian skipper Sara Gama on a scissor kick.
—Ravi Ubha, CNN, 14 June 2019
Gareth Bale scored two goals as a second-half substitute, including an outrageous overhead scissor kick, after Sadio Mane had cancelled out Karim Benzema's opener.
—Afp, chicagotribune.com, 26 May 2018
Frankfurt refused to buckle and deservedly equalized early in the second half with a scissor kick from Luka Jovic after Kevin-Prince Boateng set him up with his heel.
—Ciaran Fahey, chicagotribune.com, 1 Apr. 2018
Jessica and Sebastian commemorated their victories here with their father’s signature celebration: a jumping scissor kick.
—Ben Rothenberg, New York Times, 27 Jan. 2018
Pele, however, has heaped praise on Ronaldo, particularly for his spectacular scissor kick goal in victory over the Faroe Islands.
—SI.com, 4 Sep. 2017
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Jenny Mccoy, SELF, 9 July 2022
Aduriz had, by his own estimation, tried a thousand scissor kicks — what the Spanish call a chilena — during his career.
—Rory Smith, New York Times, 19 May 2020
Tsonga played along, and the two went back and forth for a few exchanges before Paire double-faulted when going for an acrobatic scissor kick.
—Avi Creditor, SI.com, 18 June 2019
Seconds later, Shaw saw yellow when her right foot cruised into the mouth of Italian skipper Sara Gama on a scissor kick.
—Ravi Ubha, CNN, 14 June 2019
Gareth Bale scored two goals as a second-half substitute, including an outrageous overhead scissor kick, after Sadio Mane had cancelled out Karim Benzema's opener.
—Afp, chicagotribune.com, 26 May 2018
Frankfurt refused to buckle and deservedly equalized early in the second half with a scissor kick from Luka Jovic after Kevin-Prince Boateng set him up with his heel.
—Ciaran Fahey, chicagotribune.com, 1 Apr. 2018
Jessica and Sebastian commemorated their victories here with their father’s signature celebration: a jumping scissor kick.
—Ben Rothenberg, New York Times, 27 Jan. 2018
Pele, however, has heaped praise on Ronaldo, particularly for his spectacular scissor kick goal in victory over the Faroe Islands.
—SI.com, 4 Sep. 2017
See More
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'scissors kick.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Word History
First Known Use
1902, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near scissors kick
Cite this Entry
“Scissors kick.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scissors%20kick. Accessed 21 Mar. 2023.
Kids Definition
scissors kick
noun
: a swimming kick in which the legs move like scissors
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