click
- 01 B1 Intermediate
n.a short, sharp sound made when two hard objects hit each other or when you flip a switch.
n.a brief, sharp, high-pitched sound produced by the impact of small hard objects or the operation of a mechanical latch.
Simple“The door closed with a quiet click so she didn't wake the baby.”
In context“The safety catch engaged with a metallic click, indicating that the mechanism was now securely locked in place.”
- 02 A2 Elementary
n.the act of pressing a button on a computer mouse.
n.the act of depressing and releasing a button on a computer mouse or similar input device to trigger a software response.
Simple“With just one click, you can buy the book and start reading.”
In context“The user interface is designed to minimise the number of clicks required to reach the checkout page.”
- 03 A2 Elementary
v.to press a button on a computer mouse to choose something on the screen.
v.to select or activate an item on a graphical user interface by pressing a mouse button.
Simple“Click the link in the email to confirm your account.”
In context“If the application fails to respond, try clicking the refresh icon located at the top right of the browser window.”
- 04 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to suddenly understand something or see how parts of a plan fit together.
v.to become suddenly clear or understandable; to fall into place mentally.
Simple“I was confused for an hour, but then it suddenly clicked and I solved the problem.”
In context“The complex mathematical theory finally clicked for the students after the professor provided a real-world analogy.”
Synonyms - 05 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to like someone immediately and have a good relationship with them.
v.to establish an immediate rapport or instinctive connection with another person.
Simple“We met at a party and we just clicked; we've been best friends ever since.”
In context“Despite their different backgrounds, the two researchers clicked instantly and began collaborating on a new project.”
- 06 C2 Proficiency
n.a sharp sound made with the tongue and breath used in some languages.
n.an ingressive speech sound produced by coarticulating a velar or uvular closure with another closure in the mouth.
Simple“Some languages in Southern Africa use clicks as part of their alphabet.”
In context“The phonetician spent months categorising the various dental and lateral clicks present in the local dialect.”
Imitative of the "click" sound; first recorded in the 1500s. Compare Saterland Frisian klikke (“to click”), Middle Dutch clicken (Modern Dutch: klikken (“to click”)), Old High German klecchen (Modern German: klecken, klicken (“to click”)), Danish klikke (“to click”), Swedish klicka (“to click”), Norwegian klikke (“to click”), Norwegian klekke (“to hatch”).
From Middle English clike, from Old French clique (“latch”).
From Middle English cleken, a variant of clechen (“to grab”), perhaps from Old English clēċan, clǣċan, a byform of clyċċan (“to clutch”). More at clutch.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.