n. & v.
n. 1 a slight recurring click esp. that of a watch or clock. 2 esp. Brit. colloq. a moment; an instant. 3 a mark to denote correctness, check items in a list, etc.
v. 1 intr. a (of a clock etc.) make ticks. b (foll. by away) (of time etc.) pass. 2 intr. (of a mechanism) work, function (take it apart to see how it ticks). 3 tr. a mark (a written answer etc.) with a tick. b (often foll. by off) mark (an item in a list etc.) with a tick in checking. in two ticks Brit. colloq. in a very short time. tick off colloq. reprimand. tick over 1 (of an engine etc.) idle. 2 (of a person, project, etc.) be working or functioning at a basic or minimum level. tick-tack (or tic-tac) Brit. a kind of manual semaphore signalling used by racecourse bookmakers to exchange information. tick-tack-toe US noughts and crosses. tick-tock the ticking of a large clock etc. what makes a person tick colloq. a person's motivation. tickless adj.
[ ME: cf. Du. tik, LG tikk touch, tick ]