4 N‑COUNT The tick of a clock or watch is the series of short sounds it makes when it is working, or one of those sounds. □ [+ of ] He sat listening to the tick of the grandfather clock.
5 N‑COUNT You can use tick to refer to a very short period of time. [BRIT , INFORMAL ] □ I'll be back in a tick.
6 VERB If you talk about what makes someone tick , you are talking about the beliefs, wishes, and feelings that make them behave in the way that they do. [INFORMAL ] □ [V ] He wanted to find out what made them tick.
7 N‑COUNT A tick is a small creature which lives on the bodies of people or animals and uses their blood as food. □ …chemicals that destroy ticks and mites.
▸ tick away or tick by , tick on PHRASAL VERB If you say that the clock or time is ticking away , ticking by , or ticking on , you mean that time is passing, especially when there is something that needs to be done or when you are waiting for something to happen. □ [V P ] The clock ticks away, leaving little time for talks.
▸ tick by → see tick away
▸ tick off
1 PHRASAL VERB If you tick off items on a list, you write a tick or other mark next to them, in order to show that they have been dealt with. [mainly BRIT ] □ [V P n] He ticked off my name on a piece of paper. □ [V n P ] Tick it off in the box. in AM, usually use check off 2 PHRASAL VERB If you tick someone off , you speak angrily to them because they have done something wrong. [BRIT , INFORMAL ] □ [V n P ] His mum ticked him off at home. □ [V n P + for ] Abdel felt free to tick him off for smoking too much. □ [V P n + for ] Traffic police ticked off a pensioner for jumping a red light. [Also V P n]
3 → see also ticking off
4 PHRASAL VERB If you say that something ticks you off , you mean that it annoys you. [AM , INFORMAL ] □ [V n P ] I just think it's rude and it's ticking me off. □ [V -ed P + at ] She's still ticked off at him for brushing her off and going out with you instead.
▸ tick on → see tick away
▸ tick over
1 PHRASAL VERB If an engine is ticking over , it is running at a low speed or rate, for example when it is switched on but you are not actually using it. [BRIT ] □ [V P ] Very slowly he moved forward, the engine ticking over.
2 PHRASAL VERB If a person, system, or business is ticking over , they are working steadily, but not producing very much or making much progress. [BRIT ] □ [V P ] The market is at least ticking over.
ti ck box (tick boxes ) N‑COUNT A tick box is a small square on a form, questionnaire, or test in which you put a tick to show that you agree with a statement.
tick|er /t I kə r / (tickers ) N‑COUNT Your ticker is your heart. [INFORMAL , OLD-FASHIONED ]
ti ck|er tape N‑UNCOUNT [oft N n] Ticker tape consists of long narrow strips of paper on which information such as stock exchange prices is printed by a machine. In American cities, people sometimes throw ticker tape from high windows as a way of celebrating and honouring someone in public. □ A half million people watched the troops march in New York's ticker tape parade.
tick|et ◆◆◇ /t I k I t/ (tickets )
1 N‑COUNT [oft by N ] A ticket is a small, official piece of paper or card which shows that you have paid to enter a place such as a theatre or a sports ground, or shows that you have paid for a journey. □ I queued for two hours to get a ticket to see the football game. □ [+ for ] I love opera and last year I got tickets for Covent Garden. □ Entrance is free, but by ticket only.
2 N‑COUNT A ticket is an official piece of paper which orders you to pay a fine or to appear in court because you have committed a driving or parking offence. □ I want to know at what point I break the speed limit and get a ticket.
3 N‑COUNT [usu n N ] A ticket for a game of chance such as a raffle or a lottery is a piece of paper with a number on it. If the number on your ticket matches the number chosen, you win a prize. □ She bought a lottery ticket and won more than $33 million.
4 N‑SING The particular ticket on which a person fights an election is the party they represent or the policies they support. [BRIT ] □ He first ran for president on a far-left ticket.
5 N‑COUNT [usu ADJ n] A ticket is the list of candidates who are representing a particular political party or group in an election. [AM ] □ He plans to remain on the Republican ticket for the November election.
6 PHRASE If you say that something is just the ticket , you mean that it is exactly what is needed. [INFORMAL ] □ Young kids need all the energy and protein they can get and whole milk is just the ticket.
7 → see also big-ticket , dream ticket , meal ticket , parking ticket , season ticket , ticketing
tick|et|ing /t I k I t I ŋ/ N‑UNCOUNT [oft N n] Ticketing is the act or activity of selling tickets. □ …automatic ticketing machines.
ti ck|ing o ff (tickings off ) N‑COUNT [usu sing] If you give someone a ticking off , you speak angrily to them because they have done something wrong. [BRIT , INFORMAL ] □ [+ from ] They got a ticking off from the police.