tick
B1Neutral. Common in everyday, technical (finance, computing), and medical contexts.
Definition
Meaning
A short, sharp, recurring sound; a very small mark used to indicate correctness; the parasitic arachnid that feeds on blood.
A unit of time in computing/finance (e.g., a clock cycle); a small, rapid movement; a slight recurring action (e.g., a nervous habit); to function or work (e.g., "what makes him tick"); to credit a purchase for later payment (BrE).
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Polysemous word with distinct but loosely related meanings (sound, mark, creature). The verb meaning 'to function' is often used metaphorically.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In BrE, 'tick' is used as a verb for 'to put on credit' ('tick it at the shop'). In BrE, a checkmark (✓) is called a 'tick'. In AmE, the credit usage is rare, and 'checkmark' is preferred for the mark.
Connotations
In both varieties, 'tick off' can mean to annoy/irritate. More formally in AmE, 'tick off' means to mark items on a list. BrE uses 'tick' for a moment ('in a tick').
Frequency
The noun meanings (sound, mark, insect) are equally frequent. The BrE credit verb is common domestically but not in AmE.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
NP tick (intransitive)tick NP (transitive: mark)tick NP off (transitive phrasal: mark/annoy)tick away/over/by (intransitive phrasal)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “on tick (BrE: on credit)”
- “what makes someone tick”
- “tick all the boxes”
- “tick over (BrE: run slowly/idly)”
- “in two ticks (BrE: very soon)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
"Tick the box to agree to the terms." "The project is just ticking over until we get approval."
Academic
"The experiment measured responses with millisecond ticks."
Everyday
"I could hear the old clock tick." "The dog might have a tick."
Technical
"Each CPU tick executes an instruction." "The bid-ask spread is two ticks."
Examples
By Part of Speech
noun
British English
- Give it a tick if it's correct.
- I'll be with you in a tick.
- My dog picked up a tick in the woods.
American English
- Put a check next to the right answer.
- The tick of the metronome kept time.
- Lyme disease is often spread by deer ticks.
verb
British English
- Please tick the appropriate boxes.
- I'll tick for the groceries and pay next week.
- The engine is just ticking over.
American English
- Check the boxes you prefer.
- The clock ticked loudly in the quiet room.
- That attitude really ticks me off.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The teacher put a tick next to my answer.
- Listen to the clock tick.
- Wait a tick, I'll grab my coat.
- Check for ticks after walking in long grass.
- The market moved up a few ticks after the news.
- We bought the furniture on tick.
- Her criticism really ticked him off.
- Understanding what makes consumers tick is key to marketing.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a TICKing clock making a TICK sound and leaving a TICK mark for each second.
Conceptual Metaphor
TIME IS A MOVING OBJECT/SOUND (the clock ticks); CORRECTNESS/APPROVAL IS A MARK (a tick); A SMALL ANNOYANCE IS A PARASITE (like a tick on your plans).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not translate 'tick' (insect) as 'клещ' when referring to a sound or a mark (галочка).
- The phrase 'on tick' (BrE) does not relate to insects or sounds; it means 'в кредит'.
- Russian 'тик' is a direct loanword but only for the sound/movement, not the mark or credit.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'tick' for a large mark (X) – that's a cross. (BrE)
- Confusing 'tick off' (annoy) with 'tick off' (mark as done).
- Saying 'put a tick' in AmE where 'check' is more natural.
Practice
Quiz
In British English, what does 'buying something on tick' mean?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is neutral. The noun (sound, insect) and verb (to mark) are standard. The BrE 'on tick' (credit) is informal.
In AmE, 'check' is the common term for the mark (✓) and the verb. In BrE, 'tick' is used for the mark and the verb, while 'check' means to verify. Both use 'check' for the verification meaning.
Yes, but usually in the metaphorical phrase 'what makes someone/something tick', meaning what motivates them or how they function internally.
It's related. In computing, a 'tick' is one cycle of a system clock, a discrete unit of time, metaphorically extending from the regular sound/movement of a clock.