tick
tick Lexical Profile
tick Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A regular short, sharp sound, especially one made by a clock, watch, or timer.
"The quiet room was dominated by the steady tick of the grandfather clock."
British A small mark used to indicate that an item on a list has been dealt with, chosen, or is correct.
"The teacher placed a red tick next to the correct answer on the exam paper."
Any of numerous small, blood-sucking parasitic arachnids of the order Ixodida, which attach themselves to the skin of mammals, birds, and reptiles.
"After hiking through the tall grass, she made sure to check her dog for ticks."
• verb
To make regular short, sharp sounds (especially of a clock, watch, or mechanism).
"The old bomb casing was still ticking, causing everyone to evacuate the building."
British To mark an item on a list or form with a tick or checkmark to indicate it is correct, chosen, or dealt with.
"Please tick the box if you would like to receive our monthly newsletter."
To function or operate (often used figuratively to describe what motivates a person).
"As a psychologist, she was deeply fascinated by what makes serial entrepreneurs tick."
Word Nuance & Usage
When referring to a mark on a list, 'tick' is standard in British and Commonwealth English, whereas 'check' or 'checkmark' is predominantly used in North American English.
• Rhymes for tick
Word Origin & Etymology
The word has multiple distinct origins: the sense of a sound or mark is likely onomatopoeic from Middle English 'tek', while the arachnid sense derives from Old English 'ticia', of Germanic origin.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.