tick Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a metallic tapping sound
    ticking.
    • he counted the ticks of the clock
  2. noun any of two families of small parasitic arachnids with barbed proboscis; feed on blood of warm-blooded animals
  3. noun a mark indicating that something has been noted or completed etc.
    check mark; check.
    • as he called the role he put a check mark by each student's name
  4. noun a light mattress
  5. verb make a clicking or ticking sound
    click.
    • The clock ticked away
  6. verb make a sound like a clock or a timer
    beat; ticktack; ticktock.
    • the clocks were ticking
    • the grandfather clock beat midnight
  7. verb sew
    retick.
    • tick a mattress
  8. verb put a check mark on or near or next to
    mark off; check off; mark; tick off; check.
    • Please check each name on the list
    • tick off the items
    • mark off the units

WordNet

Tick noun
Etymology
Abbrev. from ticket.
Definitions
  1. Credit; trust; as, to buy on, or upon, tick.
Tick intransitive verb
Definitions
  1. To go on trust, or credit.
  2. To give tick; to trust.
Tick noun
Etymology
OE. tike, teke; akin to D. teek, G. zecke. Cf. Tike a tick.
Definitions
  1. (Zoöl.) (a) Any one of numerous species of large parasitic mites which attach themselves to, and suck the blood of, cattle, dogs, and many other animals. When filled with blood they become ovate, much swollen, and usually livid red in color. Some of the species often attach themselves to the human body. The young are active and have at first but six legs. (b) Any one of several species of dipterous insects having a flattened and usually wingless body, as the bird ticks (see under Bird) and sheep tick (see under Sheep).
Tick noun
Etymology
LL. techa, teca, L. theca case, Gr. , fr. to put. See Thesis.
Definitions
  1. The cover, or case, of a bed, mattress, etc., which contains the straw, feathers, hair, or other filling.
  2. Ticking. See Ticking, n.
Tick intransitive verb
Etymology
Probably of imitative origin; cf. D. tikken, LG. ticken.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Ticked ; present participle & verbal noun Ticking
Definitions
  1. To make a small or repeating noise by beating or otherwise, as a watch does; to beat.
  2. To strike gently; to pat.
    Stand not ticking and toying at the branches. Latimer.
Tick noun
Definitions
  1. A quick, audible beat, as of a clock.
  2. Any small mark intended to direct attention to something, or to serve as a check. Dickens.
  3. (Zoöl.) The whinchat; -- so called from its note. Prov. Eng.
Tick transitive verb
Definitions
  1. To check off by means of a tick or any small mark; to score.
    When I had got all my responsibilities down upon my list, I compared each with the bill and ticked it off. Dickens.

Webster 1913