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Tick | Multiple meanings

TICK:  Something small, something short.
It can refer to a sound. It can talk about time. It can be a symbol we use when working through lists or marking a choice.
But a tick is also a small parasitic animal.

Learn more in this post about the several meanings of TICK.


1. A tick is a symbol, a mark that we put next to the items on a list, to indicate “Done“. In American English it is called a check, or check mark.

It can also mean “Correct“.

Furthermore, it can show our choice from among several options.

As such, it functions as a verb as well: Tick the appropriate box.

 


2. A tick is a repeated metallic clicking sound, for example from a clock or a machine.

It is also a verbThe clock is ticking.

In British English, a tick can mean a moment, the instant between a tick of the clock and the next one:
Wait a tick.


3. A tick is a small parasitic arachnid that fastens itself to the skin of warm-blooded animals and humans to feed on their blood. When it has filled up, it will fall off. If you have a dog, it may have had ticks after being outdoors.

Ticks live in grass and forests. They can transmit over 15 diseases.

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