Learn English – What’s the etymology of the word “zilch”

Etymonline has this to say about kudos:

"fame, renown," 1799, from Gk. kyddos "glory, fame, renown," from kydos "glory, fame," lit. "that which is heard of" (see caveat). A singular noun in Gk., but the final -s often is mistaken as a plural suffix in English, leading to the barbarous back-formation kudo (first attested 1941).

Especially note the singular vs. plural issue.

The normal preposition to use with it is to and it can be used without a preposition as well when it is used as a direct object, as in these examples:

1. Kudos to everyone who helped.
2. The company has earned kudos for responding so quickly to customers' concerns.

This comes originally from a Dickens novel (he probably used a common expression of the time). He used the expression "Slap-bang" to indicate a cheap meal. Apparently it was "Slap-bang" because people would "bang" the money down for the meal.