alive and kicking
alive and kicking (idiom / hyperbole / informal)
/əˈlaɪv ənd ˈkɪkɪŋ/
Meanings
- Still alive and active, especially despite age, illness, or hardship.
- Continuing to exist, function, or succeed (for things like businesses, traditions, or ideas).
- Full of energy; lively and spirited.
Synonyms: alive and well; going strong; up and running; thriving; active; full of life.
Example Sentences
- Even after his surgery, John is alive and kicking, back at work and feeling stronger each day.
- That old bookstore is still alive and kicking, serving loyal customers after many years.
- After a long break, she came back alive and kicking, full of energy and new ideas.
Etymology and Origin
The idiom “alive and kicking” describes someone or something that is not only living but also full of energy, health, and activity. It paints a picture of vitality that goes beyond mere survival, suggesting a lively spirit that refuses to fade. Over time, people have used it to reassure others that a person remains well or that an idea or business stays strong and active.
One Common Idea About Its Roots
Many believe the phrase started with fish sellers at markets who wanted to prove their catch was fresh. They would point out crabs or fish still moving and flapping in their stalls, calling them alive and kicking to show they had just been pulled from the water. This practical sales pitch from everyday trade likely helped the expression catch on among ordinary folk who shopped for their meals.
A Different View on Its Beginnings
Others trace the idiom to the moment a mother first feels her unborn baby move inside her, known as quickening during pregnancy. The kicking motion signals new life stirring with vigor, and some suggest this natural wonder gave the phrase its sense of lively existence. It ties the words to the wonder of human birth and the first signs of strength in a growing child.
The Place Where It First Took Shape
The idiom appears to have emerged in England during the late eighteenth or early nineteenth century. British writers and everyday speakers in that era began weaving it into their conversations and writings, reflecting the language of the time in a country where markets bustled and families marked life’s milestones. From there, it gradually found its way into wider use across English-speaking lands.
The Earliest Printed Record
The first known appearance in print dates to 1801 in the book Farther Excursions of the Observant Pedestrian, a travel account by an unnamed author. In one scene set during a visit to Margate, a young crab seller tells the narrator he had left his catch “all alive and kicking” before heading to church. This snapshot from a seaside journey captures the phrase in its natural early context.
How the Phrase Grew in Use
After its printed debut, the expression quickly appeared in newspapers and letters from Britain and beyond. Soldiers in wartime correspondence used it to say they were still fighting fit, while fairground descriptions and travel stories applied it to lively animals or resilient creatures. By the early 1800s, it had moved from market talk into everyday reassurance that life and spirit continued strong.
Variants
- still alive and kicking
- alive and well
- going strong
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