# click

/ˈkɫɪk/ (US) · /klˈɪk/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/click
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. a sharp sound

noun · CEFR B1

a short, sharp sound made when two hard objects hit each other or when you flip a switch.

For teachers: a brief, sharp, high-pitched sound produced by the impact of small hard objects or the operation of a mechanical latch.

- The door closed with a quiet click so she didn't wake the baby.
- The safety catch engaged with a metallic click, indicating that the mechanism was now securely locked in place.

### 2. computing

noun · CEFR A2

the act of pressing a button on a computer mouse.

For teachers: the act of depressing and releasing a button on a computer mouse or similar input device to trigger a software response.

- With just one click, you can buy the book and start reading.
- The user interface is designed to minimise the number of clicks required to reach the checkout page.

### 3. to use a mouse

verb · CEFR A2

to press a button on a computer mouse to choose something on the screen.

For teachers: to select or activate an item on a graphical user interface by pressing a mouse button.

- Click the link in the email to confirm your account.
- If the application fails to respond, try clicking the refresh icon located at the top right of the browser window.

### 4. to suddenly understand

verb · CEFR B2 · Informal

to suddenly understand something or see how parts of a plan fit together.

For teachers: to become suddenly clear or understandable; to fall into place mentally.

- I was confused for an hour, but then it suddenly clicked and I solved the problem.
- The complex mathematical theory finally clicked for the students after the professor provided a real-world analogy.

### 5. to get along well

verb · CEFR B2 · Informal

to like someone immediately and have a good relationship with them.

For teachers: to establish an immediate rapport or instinctive connection with another person.

- We met at a party and we just clicked; we've been best friends ever since.
- Despite their different backgrounds, the two researchers clicked instantly and began collaborating on a new project.

### 6. linguistics

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a sharp sound made with the tongue and breath used in some languages.

For teachers: an ingressive speech sound produced by coarticulating a velar or uvular closure with another closure in the mouth.

- Some languages in Southern Africa use clicks as part of their alphabet.
- The phonetician spent months categorising the various dental and lateral clicks present in the local dialect.

## Examples

- You can open the file with a double click.
- The photographer waited for the perfect moment before he finally heard the click of the shutter.
- While the initial click on the advertisement is a positive metric, the marketing team is more concerned with the eventual conversion rate of those visitors.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.