# tick

/ˈtɪk/ (US) · /tˈɪk/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/tick
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. a clicking sound

noun · CEFR B1

a short, sharp sound, like the one made by an analog clock or a timer.

For teachers: a light, rhythmic, and sharp metallic or mechanical sound.

- The steady tick of the old clock was the only sound in the quiet library.
- The mechanic listened closely for a faint tick in the engine that might indicate a loose valve or a failing belt.

### 2. a checkmark

noun · CEFR B1 · British English

a mark (✓) used to show that something is correct, finished, or chosen.

For teachers: a symbol used to indicate verification, completion, or agreement; common in British and Commonwealth English.

- Put a tick in the box next to the meal you would like to order.
- The examiner placed a red tick next to every correct answer on the final page of the test booklet.

Usage: In American English, 'check' or 'checkmark' is almost always used instead.

### 3. a short time

noun · CEFR B2 · Informal · British English

a very short period of time; a moment.

For teachers: an informal unit of time representing a very brief interval.

- Wait there, I will be with you in a tick.
- The technician promised to have the server back online in a tick, though the actual repair took nearly an hour.

### 4. a tiny insect

noun · CEFR B2

a tiny eight-legged creature that lives in grass and sucks blood from animals or people.

For teachers: a small parasitic arachnid of the order Ixodida that attaches to hosts to feed on blood.

- Check your dog for ticks after you walk through the tall grass.
- The hikers were advised to wear long trousers to prevent ticks from attaching to their skin during the trek through the forest.

### 5. computing unit

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

a tiny unit of time used by a computer's processor to measure how fast it works.

For teachers: a single cycle of a system clock or a fixed interval between timer interrupts.

- The software measures how many ticks the processor needs to finish the task.
- The game engine updates the physics state once per tick to ensure consistent behaviour across different hardware configurations.

### 6. to make a sound

verb · CEFR B1

to make a short, sharp clicking sound repeatedly.

For teachers: to produce a series of short, sharp sounds, typically as a result of mechanical movement.

- I could hear the radiator ticking as the room started to get warm.
- The grandfather clock continued to tick rhythmically in the hallway, oblivious to the chaos in the rest of the house.

### 7. to mark with a tick

verb · CEFR B1 · British English

to put a mark (✓) next to an item on a list.

For teachers: to mark an item with a tick to indicate it has been dealt with or verified.

- Tick the items off your shopping list as you find them in the store.
- She carefully ticked each name on the guest list as the attendees entered the ballroom.

### 8. to function

verb · CEFR B2 · Informal

to work or behave in a certain way.

For teachers: to function or operate; often used in the phrase 'what makes someone tick' to describe motivations.

- I have worked with him for years, but I still don't know what makes him tick.
- The documentary attempts to explain what makes these elite athletes tick and how they maintain their focus under pressure.

## Examples

- I will be with you in a tick.
- Wait just a tick while I finish saving this document before we head out to lunch.
- The system update should only take a tick, provided the server connection remains stable throughout the installation process.

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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.