# flick through

CEFR B1 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/flick-through
Updated: 2026-04-24

## Definition

to look quickly at the pages of a book, magazine, or website without reading everything.

For teachers: to examine a publication or digital content cursorily by turning pages or scrolling rapidly; implies a lack of deep engagement or specific focus.

## Examples

- I like to flick through magazines while I wait for the doctor.
- She flicked through the catalog to see if any of the new summer dresses caught her eye.
- While flicking through the dusty archives, the researcher happened upon a series of letters that changed the course of the investigation.

## Pitfalls

- Not "I flicked the book through." but "I flicked through the book." — while 'flick through' can occasionally be separated, it is almost always used as an inseparable unit when followed by a noun object.

## Usage notes

- usually takes a physical or digital publication as its object.
- Teaching tip: compare with 'skim' (reading for main ideas) and 'scan' (looking for specific info); 'flick through' is more casual and often done for pleasure or out of boredom.

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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.