tick
/tɪk/
noun
- A small, blood-sucking insect that attaches to animals and humans, often carrying diseases.
- The dog had a tick behind its ear.
- After hiking in the woods, check your skin for ticks.
- Ticks can transmit Lyme disease to people.
- A light, repeated clicking sound, like that of a clock or watch.
- I could hear the tick of the metronome as I practiced piano.
- The only sound in the room was the tick of the old grandfather clock.
- The tick of the timer told me the cookies were almost done.
- A small mark (✓) used to show that something is correct or has been done.
- Put a tick next to each completed task on your list.
- The teacher put a red tick on my correct answer.
- I added a tick to the box to confirm my choice.
- A very small change in the price of a stock or other financial asset.
- A tick is the smallest possible price change in a trade.
- The stock moved up one tick to $50.01.
- Traders watch every tick of the market.
verb
- To make a light, repeated clicking sound, like a clock or watch.
- The metronome ticked steadily while she played.
- I could hear the engine ticking as it cooled down.
- The old clock ticked loudly in the hallway.
- To mark an item with a check mark (✓) to show it is done or correct.
- The teacher ticked the correct answers on the test.
- Please tick the box next to your preferred option.
- I ticked off each item on my shopping list.
- To function or operate in a particular way (often used in phrases like 'what makes someone tick').
- She's curious about what makes her boss tick.
- I've never understood what makes him tick.
- The team is trying to figure out what makes the new software tick.