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Meaning & use

direct kick

noun·Academicsport

Last updated

UK/dɪˌrekt ˈkɪk/
US/dɪˌrekt ˈkɪk/

Meaning

  1. nouncountablesport

    A free kick in soccer from which a goal can be scored straight away without another player touching the ball first.

    Grammar: Countable: the referee awarded a direct kick.

    Patterns

    • take a direct kick
    • award a direct kick

    The referee awarded a direct kick just outside the penalty area.

    He curled the direct kick over the wall and into the net.

    A foul by a defender usually leads to a direct kick.

Word forms

pluraldirect kicks

Common combinations

award a direct kick
The referee awarded a direct kick for the push.
score from a direct kick
She scored from a direct kick in the final minute.
take a direct kick
Messi stepped up to take the direct kick.
direct kick on goal
The team earned a direct kick on goal.
direct kick for a foul
A direct kick for a foul is given in the attacking half.

Synonyms and how they differ

direct free kick
Direct free kick is the full official term, but direct kick is a common short form.
free kick
Free kick is more general because it also covers indirect kicks.
set piece
Set piece is wider and also includes corners and throw-ins.

Opposites

indirect kick

Word family

kick verb
to hit with the foot
indirect kick noun
a free kick that cannot score unless touched by another player
free kick noun
a kick given after a foul
direct adjective
straight or without a stop in between

Commonly confused: direct kick or indirect kick?

direct kick vs indirect kick

An indirect kick must touch another player before a goal can count. A direct kick can go straight in.

Practice

A player scores straight from a free kick without anyone else touching the ball. It was a ___.

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