Tick Meaning
/tɪk/Definition, CEFR level B1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounA tiny woodland arachnid of the suborder Ixodida.
nounA relatively quiet but sharp sound generally made repeatedly by moving machinery.
Sentence Examples
"Mister"ing a tick? You're a funny kid.
I like to take things apart to see what makes them tick.
I just can't work out what makes Tom tick.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The only sound in the quiet library was the steady ____ of the old wall clock.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The doctor removed a small ____ from his arm after he had been walking through the long grass in the field today.
Word Origin & History
From Middle English tyke, teke, from Old English ticia (“parasitic animal, tick”), from Proto-West Germanic *tīkō, compare Dutch teek, German Zecke.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"Sucking up all you can / Sucking up all you can suck and suck / Working up under my patience like a little tick / Fat little parasite (parasite) / Suck me dry / My fruit is bruised and borrowed / You thieving bastards / You have turned my blood cold and bitter"
— 2001, “Ticks & Leeches”, in Maynard James Keenan (lyrics), Lateralus, performed by Tool, Track 8:
"Kate's choice to don her pink suit again now, at the height of the Barbiecore trend, shows the royal really does have her finger on the pulse. That, paired with her statement belt and the fact pearls are having a real fashion moment (courtesy of the Met Gala) is three big ticks from us."
— 2023 May 26, Natasha Harding, Alexandria Dale, “Kate Middleton just re-wore her Alexander McQueen baby pink trouser suit”, in Women's Health:
"There are few birders who have not had stringy ticks on their lists at some stage."
— 1980, Bill Oddie, Bill Oddie's Little Black Bird Book, page 76:
"A twitcher's list is very democratic. Each bird counts as one tick. There are no extra points for beauty or rarity. The humble sparrow counts just as much as a Wedge-tailed Eagle or a Paradise Parrot."
— 2005, Sean Dooley, The Big Twitch, Sydney: Allen and Unwin, page 41:
"As 2020 ticked over into 2021, some 240 worksites were active on HS2's Phase 1 route between London and the West Midlands."
— 2021 January 13, Richard Clinnick, “HS2 reaches key milestones and gears up for a busy 2021”, in Rail, page 12:
Explore More B1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The only sound in the quiet library was the steady ____ of the old wall clock.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The doctor removed a small ____ from his arm after he had been walking through the long grass in the field today.