K is for Kick.

For the letter K, I decided to take a simple word with multiple meanings to see how it could apply to my Blogging from A to Z theme Reading, (W)riting, and Research.

Those of us who write have to think about ways that words work on more than one level. Shakespeare was a master of this technique. For example, when Juliet tells Romeo, “You kiss by the book,” does she mean he kisses like a schooled expert or that he kisses as if he only studied how to do it in a book–in other words, rather ineptly?

Just for fun and because it’s Monday, let’s play with the word kick and see how many different meaning apply. (And because I couldn’t think of anything else to do.)

Reading: Dedicated readers often compare themselves to addicts. My mother swears she gets the shakes if she doesn’t have a stack of books on her night table. She does not plan to kick this habit any time soon. Readers live vicariously. Just the right story allows us to kick up our heels right along with that carefree character.

Writing: When outlining a story, writers often kick an idea around until ideas fall into place. Later, writers rely on critique partners to kick in comments. We hope, fingers crossed, uttering silent prayers to the book gods that our readers declare there is quite a kick in our narratives. And sometimes we want to end a chapter or book with a kicker.

Research: Want to know where and when the word kick originated? It’s Middle English, originally kiken. I couldn’t find an exact date but I did find it in Chaucer’s “The Miller’s Tale,” which was written in the 14th century.

Bet you didn’t know this definition: “A sudden momentary increase in pressure that forces drilled mud back up the bore of an oil well.” Nope, I didn’t either. That is, I didn’t know this definition until I researched the word kick. Here’s a challenge for you writers out there: Use that definition of kick in a piece of fiction but imbue it with a hidden or symbolic meaning.

If you do it, send it to me! I just know I’ll get a kick out of it.