tick1

 
Pronunciation: /tɪk/

noun

  • 1British a mark (✓) used to indicate that an item in a list or text is correct or has been chosen, checked, or dealt with.
  • 2a regular short, sharp sound, especially that made by a clock or watch: the comforting tick of the grandfather clock
  • British informal a moment: I shan’t be a tick I’ll be with you in a tick
  • 3 Stock Exchange the smallest recognized amount by which a price of a security or future may fluctuate.

verb

[with object]
  • 1chiefly British mark (an item) with a tick, typically to show that it has been chosen, checked, approved, or dealt with: just tick the appropriate box below
  • 2 [no object] (of a clock or other mechanical device) make regular short, sharp sounds, typically one for every second of time that passes: I could hear the clock ticking
  • (tick away/by/past) (of time) pass: the minutes were ticking away till the actor’s appearance
  • proceed or progress: her book was ticking along nicely

Phrases

tick all the (right) boxes

British informal
fulfil all the necessary requirements: the new album should tick all the right boxes for their many fans

what makes someone tick

informal what motivates someone: people are curious to know what makes British men tick

Phrasal Verbs

tick someone off

  • 1British informal reprimand or rebuke someone: he was ticked off by Angela (as noun ticking off) he got a ticking off from the magistrate
  • 2North American informal make someone annoyed or angry: (as adjective ticked off) Jefferson was a little ticked off, but he’ll come around

tick something off

chiefly British
  • 1mark an item in a list with a tick to show that it has been dealt with: I ticked several items off my ‘to do’ list
  • 2list items one by one in one’s mind or during a speech: he ticked the points off on his fingers

tick over

(of an engine) run slowly in neutral: his Mercedes was waiting for him, the engine ticking over
work or function at a basic or minimum level: they are keeping things ticking over until their father returns

Origin:

Middle English (as a verb in the sense 'pat, touch'): probably of Germanic origin and related to Dutch tik (noun), tikken (verb) 'pat, touch'. The noun was recorded in late Middle English as 'a light tap'; current senses date from the late 17th century