• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer
Zippy Facts Logo

Zippy Facts

Interesting Random Facts

  • Animals
  • Culture
  • Firsts
  • Food
  • Geography
  • Health
  • History
  • Inventions
  • Language
  • Mythology
  • Odds
  • People
  • Religion
  • Science
  • Space
  • Universe
  • World
You are here: Home / Language / Where does the expression “to get a kick (or charge) out of something” come from and What does it mean?

Where does the expression “to get a kick (or charge) out of something” come from and What does it mean?

February 10, 2020 by Karen Hill

The expression “to get a kick (or charge) out of something” means: To become thrilled, excited, or stimulated by something physical, mental, or emotional.

The older American slang with “kick” is gradually being replaced by the later “charge,” having the same interpretation, but “kick” has served well for some fifty years.

Originally the “kick” was that induced by spirituous liquor, or perhaps by a sharp condiment, and the effect was physical, though considerably milder than if delivered by a horse or mule or even a high-powered gun.

Our metaphorical expression has also been accepted by English writers, as, for instance, by a correspondent to the Daily Express in 1928:

“I was told I should get a kick out of that journey , and I certainly did.”

Related Facts

  • Which Explorers First Explored the Continents of the World?
  • What does the expression “to kick against the pricks” mean and Where does it come from?
  • Where does the expression “to kick the bucket” come from and What does it mean?
  • Where do Mules Come From and Are Mules Native to America?
  • The History of the Dictionary
  • Top 25 Inventions That Changed Our Lives Forever

Filed Under: Language

About Karen Hill

Karen Hill is a freelance writer, editor, and columnist. Born in New York, her work has appeared in the Examiner, Yahoo News, Buzzfeed, among others.

Previous Post: « What does the phrase “hoist with one’s own petard” mean and Where does it originate?
Next Post: What does the phrase “easy as rolling off a log” mean and Where does it come from? »

Footer

Follow

  • Facebook
  • Flickr
  • GitHub
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Medium
  • Pinterest
  • StumbleUpon
  • Tumblr
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Categories

Accomplishments Animals Culture Firsts Food Geography Health History Inventions Language Mythology Odds People Religion Science Space Universe World Your Body

About

Zippy Facts empowers the world by serving educational content that is accessible to everyone.

A tribute to growing up, zippyfacts.com showcases interesting and unusual facts about the world.

Our mission is to use technology to facilitate knowledge transfer and sharing.

Copyright © 2020 Zippy Facts

  • About Us
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy