I. verb
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES
at the flick/touch of a switch (= very quickly and easily, with a switch )
▪
The advantages of having electricity available at the flick of a switch are obvious.
chick flick
flick knife
flick/flip a switch (= move it so something starts or stops )
▪
You start the fan by just flipping this switch.
flick/flip/leaf through the pages of sth (= turn them quickly )
▪
She was flicking through the pages of a magazine.
COLLOCATIONS FROM CORPUS
■ ADVERB
back
▪
Greg flicked back to the contents list.
▪
Rex flicked back to the appropriate page and read aloud.
▪
She flicked back the long, dark, silky strands of her hair and sat cross-legged on the bed.
▪
When the six-digit combination showed, he flicked back the locks and opened the lid.
▪
I usually flick back to see whats on next - but forgot.
▪
He gazed upwards until a lace curtain flicked back and he realised an elderly woman with white hair was studying him suspiciously.
▪
She flicked back her long blond hair, which now looks, unluckily, like long white hair.
▪
He regarded the men beneath him impassively, his eyes flicking back and forth as they looked up at him.
off
▪
Sliding between the bedcovers, she flicked off the bedside lamp and snuggled down into the enveloping warmth.
▪
He nodded, moving to the stereo, which he flicked off .
▪
The end of her cigarette glowed and the lighter flicked off .
▪
Just as I flicked off the lock, Bunny must have pulled from the outside.
over
▪
On the drive back to Goslar he flicked over the key he had taken from Bruno Morenz.
▪
Nathan's gaze flicked over sails, lines, winches and compass, in a swift visual check.
▪
Now she reached the main doors and walked in, eyes flicking over the sea of faces in search of Mahoney.
▪
All the ancestors flicked over with a bunch of pink feathers on a stick.
▪
As his tongue flicked over her thighs she groaned out loud.
▪
Dudek flicked over the pages, found them to be a little better, but still somewhat hum-drum.
▪
They look like any other novel if you just flick over the pages and they are divided into chapters.
▪
A red-nailed hand flicked over the words as he nodded.
through
▪
While I flick through to the centre pages, the businessman puts his hands in his pockets and waits.
▪
She flicked through swiftly, hunting for a comb at the same time.
▪
Simply flick through , check the index on the side of each page, and select from the bold category headings.
■ NOUN
ash
▪
He flicked the ash towards the fireplace with the back of his hand.
▪
He flicks his ashes without reflection on the ground.
▪
He watched her sit up and flick the ash on to the floor.
▪
He flicks the ash off his faded blue jeans and lights up another cigarette.
▪
They flicked ash from their cigarettes into the empty wine-glasses and shouted each other down in vain attempts to be witty.
ball
▪
The Brandywell debutant surged towards the United penalty area before flicking the ball to the overlapping Mark Ennis on the right.
▪
Calmly, he waited for Garcia to inch forward and flicked the ball over him for the lead.
▪
He used to practise heading, flicking the ball from wall to wall, as he sat there, a constipated schoolboy.
▪
Bobby Skinstad suggested that as Mark tackled me I flick the ball across to him to score a try.
cigarette
▪
He flicked away another cigarette as they made their way towards him to continue the drive still higher into the hills.
▪
Chino calls to the man in khaki, who flicks his cigarette on to the lawn behind him, and approaches the car.
▪
Maltravers turned to flick his cigarette end on to the roadside.
finger
▪
Cranston turned and flicked his fingers at the urchin.
glance
▪
If he attempts to talk to you, you will flick him a haughty glance and say nothing.
▪
She flicked a glance at her watch.
hair
▪
And Goldberg, pursing his lips in concentration, flicking the hair out of his eyes, typed furiously on.
▪
It also felt strange when each time I went to flick my hair I found there was nothing there to flick.
▪
Lee Ann, 23 says the secret is her banter, coy looks and flicking her hair about.
▪
All in all, she thought, flicking her hair back from her face, he was quite an unusual person.
hand
▪
A red-nailed hand flicked over the words as he nodded.
▪
He reached across to the bank of switches at his right hand and flicked a couple.
light
▪
He made sure I knew it was him by flicking on his interior light and waving me towards him.
▪
Gold chrysanthemums spilled from ceramic pots; lilacs and cherry blossoms flicked clusters of light into our garden.
▪
Then he opened the front door so that they could see where they were going, and flicked the bathroom light off.
▪
I walked to the front door, checked my watch, and flicked the porch light on and off three times.
▪
I unlocked the several locks on my door, went in, flicked on the lights .
▪
I drew the drapes shut before flicking a light on.
▪
I flick on the light to obliterate him.
page
▪
He flicked through the pages of his appointments diary, which were as ever blank.
▪
During debates on gravel extraction he could be seen flicking through its pages .
▪
Dougal flicked through the pages , dipping into the typed sections; the handwritten portions could wait.
▪
As I flicked through the pages one Friday evening an advertisement caught my eye.
▪
He placed the sketch-pad on his knees, flicked open the first page and began to draw.
▪
He drew out the phrase book and flicked through the pages .
▪
Dudek flicked over the pages , found them to be a little better, but still somewhat hum-drum.
▪
Pick up something to read and look at it carefully, not frantically flicking through the pages .
switch
▪
Amy flicked switches and her enormous kitchen sprang into life.
▪
I flicked the switch back again, to undo whatever! might have done.
▪
I kept thinking about the cockroaches, every now and then flicking on the switch to see if they were there.
▪
Then, he flicked a switch and stood well back.
▪
Manolo flicked a switch and brought up the other figure. 0012.
▪
I went over and tapped on the door, then flicked the switch alongside it.
▪
Chapter Twenty one Urquhart flicked the main switch and she blinked as the room was washed by the harsh overhead light.
▪
Jim walked over to the overhead, placed a transparency on it, and flicked on the lamp switch .
tongue
▪
As his tongue flicked over her thighs she groaned out loud.
▪
His narrow tongue flicked once across each dry lip.
▪
His tongue flicked nervously across dry lips as he prepared to open the lid.
▪
She curled her tongue and flicked it at his flesh with butterfly strokes.
wrist
▪
He flicked his wrist and sent it cracking high over Luke's prostrate body.
▪
Luke took a few steps forward, then flicking his wrist , sent the lash out at waist-level.
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
▪
He paused and flicked a mosquito off his arm.
▪
Ricky, stop flicking that towel at me!
▪
Stop flicking water at me!
EXAMPLES FROM CORPUS
▪
Chino calls to the man in khaki, who flicks his cigarette on to the lawn behind him, and approaches the car.
▪
He flicked away another cigarette as they made their way towards him to continue the drive still higher into the hills.
▪
He must have watched his digital watch flick away each precious minute and second.
▪
I walked to the front door, checked my watch, and flicked the porch light on and off three times.
▪
Jed's eyes flicked round the lounge.
▪
On the drive back to Goslar he flicked over the key he had taken from Bruno Morenz.
▪
The behaviour of worm-lions, which also flick sand at their prey, is essentially the same as that of the ant-lion.
▪
Then, he flicked a switch and stood well back.
II. noun
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
▪
With a flick of the wrist, Ferguson sent the ball into the opposite court.
EXAMPLES FROM CORPUS
▪
And it was Charlie who set up the winner with a headed flick on for McNally to score from eight yards out.
▪
Certain types of knives that have no legitimate use - such as flick , gravity and butterfly knives - are banned.
▪
He had that extra flick of race about him.
▪
His flick helped create the goal.
▪
The flick of the gold lighter kept on the coffee table was sharp as an electric shock in a room of steel.
▪
These days about 15 percent of our energy is obtained at the flick of a switch.