I. click 1 S3 /klɪk/ BrE AmE verb
1 . [intransitive and transitive] to make a short hard sound, or make something produce this sound:
The door clicked shut behind me.
Mother clicked her tongue (=made a short sound to show disapproval) and sighed.
Edmund clicked his fingers (=made a short sound to get someone’s attention) for John to follow him.
Vogel clicked his heels (=hit the heels of his shoes together) and bowed.
Twist the lever and the gears click into place.
2 .
[intransitive and transitive] to press a button on a computer ↑ mouse to choose something from the screen that you want the computer to do, or to press a button on a ↑ remote control :
Choose the image you want by clicking twice.
click on
Children can click on a sentence to hear it read aloud.
3 . [intransitive] informal to suddenly understand or realize something:
It’s hard work, but one day it will just click.
I thought, ‘What is he doing?’ and then suddenly it all clicked into place (=I understood how all the events related to each other) .
4 . [intransitive] informal if two people click, they like, understand, and agree with each other:
They clicked straight away.
5 . [intransitive] informal to happen in a good or successful way, especially because people are working together well:
If everything clicks, we should have a good season.
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COLLOCATIONS
■ click + NOUN
▪ click your fingers (=make a short sound with your fingers to get someone's attention)
She clicks her fingers and he comes running.
▪ click your tongue (=make a short sound with your tongue to show disapproval)
She clicked her tongue in annoyance.
▪ click your heels (=hit the heels of your shoes together, as a soldier does)
He clicked his heels and saluted.
■ phrases
▪ click into place/position
Make sure the lid clicks firmly into place.
▪ click open/shut (=open with a short hard sound)
I heard the gate at the front of the house click open.
II. click 2 BrE AmE noun [countable]
[ Date: 1500-1600 ; Origin: From the sound ]
1 . a short hard sound:
The door closed with a click.
2 . the click of a mouse used to show how quickly something can be done on a computer:
Your photos can be viewed with the click of a mouse.
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ verbs
▪ hear a click
She heard a click, and then the line went dead.
▪ make/produce a click
He made a click of disapproval.
▪ go click
Soon there were photographers all around him going click, click, click.
▪ shut/close with a click
The front door shut with a click.
■ adjectives
▪ a sharp click (=loud and quick)
There was a sharp click, and the panel opened like a tiny door.
▪ a loud click
I heard the loud click of heels on the stone floor.
▪ a faint/soft click (=not loud)
There was only a faint click from the gun's trigger mechanism.
▪ a metallic click (=like something made of metal)
She strapped herself in with a metallic click of the belt.
▪ a little click
The neon sign made little clicks as it changed colour.
■ phrases
▪ a series/succession of clicks (=several clicks one after another)
A series of loud clicks came from the car's engine.
▪ the click of a latch/door/lock etc
The click of the latch told me Michele was back.