Synonyms

flutter kick

American

noun

a swimming kick in which the legs make rapid alternate up-and-down movements while the knees remain rigid, as in the crawl.

flutter kick British

noun

a type of kick used in certain swimming strokes, such as the crawl, in which the legs are held straight and alternately moved up and down rapidly in the water

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of flutter kick

First recorded in 1930–35

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“I started the flutter kick at Waikiki,” he said.

From New York Times • Aug. 24, 2015

He revolutionized swimming, introducing the flutter kick he developed in his native Hawaii.

From New York Times • Aug. 24, 2015

It was his flutter kick that replaced the scissors kick and revolutionized sprint swimming.

From New York Times • Aug. 24, 2015

The cities adjacent to Lake Washington, Lake Sammamish and other places with lots of beachfront make it easy to jump in and work on your flutter kick with lifeguards keeping watch.

From Seattle Times • Jun. 9, 2014

He grabbed it, and stopped his flutter kick.

From The Flying Stingaree by Goodwin, Harold L. (Harold Leland)

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023