I. tick 1 /tɪk/ BrE AmE noun
[ Sense 1,3-5: Date: 1200-1300 ; Origin: Origin unknown. ]
[ Sense 2: Language: Old English ; Origin: ticia ]
1 . [countable] British English a mark (✓) written next to an answer, something on a list etc, to show that it is correct or has been dealt with SYN check American English :
Put a tick in the box if you agree with this statement.
⇨ ↑ cross 2 (2b)
2 . [countable] a very small animal like an insect that lives under the skin of other animals and sucks their blood
3 . [singular] the short repeated sound that a clock or watch makes every second
4 . [countable] especially British English spoken a very short time SYN moment :
I’ll be with you in a tick (=soon) .
It’ll only take two ticks.
5 . on tick British English informal old-fashioned if you buy something on tick, you arrange to take it now and pay later SYN credit
II. tick 2 BrE AmE verb
1 . [intransitive] ( also tick away ) if a clock or watch ticks, it makes a short repeated sound:
The old clock ticked noisily.
2 . [transitive] British English to mark a test, list of questions etc with a tick, in order to show that something is correct, to choose something etc SYN check American English :
Tick the description that best fits you.
Just tick the box on your order form.
3 . what makes somebody tick informal the thoughts, feelings, opinions etc that give someone their character or make them behave in a particular way:
I’ve never really understood what makes her tick.
4 . tick all the right boxes informal if something ticks all the right boxes, it does everything that you wanted it to do or is everything you wanted it to be
tick away/by/past phrasal verb
if time ticks away, by, or past, it passes, especially when you are waiting for something to happen:
We need a decision – time’s ticking away.
The minutes ticked past and still she didn’t call.
tick somebody/something ↔ off phrasal verb
1 . British English informal to tell someone angrily that you are annoyed with them or disapprove of them:
Mrs Watts will tick you off if you’re late again.
2 . British English to mark the things on a list with a tick to show that they have been dealt with, chosen etc SYN check off American English :
As you finish each task, tick it off.
Have you ticked off Kate’s name on the list?
3 . American English informal to annoy someone:
Her attitude is really ticking me off.
4 . American English to tell someone a list of things, especially when you touch a different finger as you say each thing on the list:
Carville began ticking off points on his fingers.
tick over phrasal verb British English
1 . if an engine ticks over, it works while the vehicle is not moving:
Mark left the engine ticking over and went back inside.
2 . if a system, business etc ticks over, it continues working but without producing very much or without much happening:
The business is just about ticking over.
Jane will keep things ticking over while I’m away.