kick / thrill
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thrill
A brief, intense moment of excitement or thrill. It describes a strong, positive feeling that is often triggered by an exciting or risky activity.
Manche Leute brauchen den Kick und machen deshalb Extremsportarten.
Some people need the thrill and therefore do extreme sports.
kick
In sports, especially in football/soccer, the strike of a ball with the foot.
Mit einem gezielten Kick ins obere Eck entschied er das Spiel.
With a well-aimed kick into the top corner, he decided the game.
'Kick' is a loanword from English. While in English it usually means a kick with the foot, in German the figurative meaning of 'Nervenkitzel' (thrill) has become especially common.
Für den ultimativen Kick springt er mit dem Fallschirm aus Flugzeugen.
For the ultimate thrill, he parachutes out of airplanes.
For 'Nervenkitzel' (thrill), 'Kick' is often used with certain verbs: 'den Kick suchen' (to seek the thrill), 'sich den Kick holen' (to get the thrill), or something 'gibt einem den Kick' (gives you the thrill).
Die schnelle Fahrt auf der Achterbahn gab ihr einen echten Kick.
The fast ride on the roller coaster gave her a real thrill.
The meaning 'Nervenkitzel' (thrill) is very modern and is used mainly in colloquial language, especially when talking about hobbies, sports, or exciting experiences.
Er braucht einfach den Adrenalin-Kick beim Klettern.
He simply needs the adrenaline thrill when climbing.
The sports meaning 'Tritt' (kick) is easy to recognize from context. If the topic is a 'Ball' (ball), 'Tor' (goal), or a sport such as football/soccer, the literal meaning is intended.
Sein harter Kick landete direkt im Tor.
His powerful kick went straight into the goal.
pep / speed
Both Kick and Pep can make something more stimulating or interesting. Kick, however, emphasizes a brief, intense thrill with excitement, while Pep generally refers to drive and greater liveliness. Kick is more appropriate when danger is involved, while Pep is more appropriate for a livelier atmosphere.
Der Sprung aus dem Flugzeug gab ihr den besonderen Kick.
The parachute jump gave her a special thrill.
Die neue Musik gab der Feier mehr Pep.
The new music gave the party more pep.
