From mboxrd@z Thu Jan  1 00:00:00 1970
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From: bbourg@ccsi.com
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To: 9fans@cse.psu.edu
Subject: Re: [9fans] just for kicks?
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Date: Wed, 29 Jan 2003 10:12:15 -0600
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"Andrey S. Kukhar" wrote:
> 
> hi,
> sorry for (may be) the simple question,
> i am now in rereading some wiki docs
> (about Fossil, bootdir, ...) and can`t
> fully understand what means the expression
> ``for kicks'' or ``just for kicks''. i know
> what means ``just for fun'' :) Could you
> please describe it or give me a synonym.
> thanx
> 
> kyxap

"Just for {fun | kicks | grins}" are synonymous and differ
mainly by the age or peer group using them. There are some
subtle differences in connotation, but let's not kick up a
fuss. I'm not sure of the derivation for the use of "kicks"
in this context; but I won't let that stop me from
speculating. It is iconic that as kids--a human child not
the baby goat--we enjoyed walking around kicking pebbles,
tin cans, rocks, and dirt in our wanderings. If not a fun
activity at least it was satisfying. I suspect that this is
a universal activity. Other phrases including kick are:
"kickin'!" - used by the younger generation for something
that is really good and "kick-ass", as in that "movie was
really kick-ass"; and "kicking up dust" - a metaphor for
drawing attention to oneself or making a scene or spectacle.

You may already be aware that "thankx" may be perceived as a
playful misspelling of "thanks" in an informal context but
will get red marked and -10 points on a formal composition. 

Hope that helps.

Later, Bob

p.s. We might want to keep these discussions off the 9fans
list in future. The purists and more instructive members may
kick up a fuss is we get off-topic.

mailto:bbourg@ccsi.com
-- 
"The optimist proclaims we live in the best of all
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                                James Branch Cabell