click

¹

[klik]

noun

1. a slight, sharp sound.

   At the click of the latch, the dog barked.

2. a small device for preventing backward movement of a mechanism, as a detent or pawl.

3. Phonetics.,  any one of a variety of ingressive, usually implosive, speech sounds, phonemic in some languages, produced by suction occlusion and plosive or affricative release.

4. any one of a variety of familiar sounds used in calling or urging on horses or other animals, in expressing reprimand or sympathy, or produced in audible kissing.

5. Computers.,  the act of rapidly depressing and releasing a button on a mouse or other input device, usually the left-hand button, as to select an icon.

verb (used without object)

1. to emit or make a slight, sharp sound, or series of such sounds, as by the cocking of a pistol.

   The door clicked shut.

2. Informal.

   1. to succeed; make a hit.

      If the play clicks, the producer will be rich.

   2. to fit together; function well together.

      They get along in public, but their personalities don't really click.

   3. to become intelligible.

3. Computers.,  to rapidly depress and release one of the buttons on a mouse or other input device, usually the left-hand button.

   Just click on the link to get to the site.

verb (used with object)

1. to cause to click.

2. to strike together with a click.

   He clicked his heels and saluted.

3. Computers.

   1. to select (a screen object) by rapidly depressing and releasing one of the buttons on a mouse or other input device, usually the left-hand button.

      Click “OK” to continue .

   2. to rapidly depress and release (a button on a mouse or other input device).

      Click the trackpad button once.

click

²

Or klick,

[klik]

noun

Slang.

1. a kilometer.

click

/ klɪk /

noun

1. a short light often metallic sound

2. 1. the locking member of a ratchet mechanism, such as a pawl or detent

   2. the movement of such a mechanism between successive locking positions

3. phonetics any of various stop consonants, found in Khoisan and as borrowings in southern Bantu languages, that are produced by the suction of air into the mouth

4. slang,  a kilometre

5. computing an act of pressing and releasing a button on a mouse

verb

1. to make or cause to make a clicking sound

   to click one's heels

2. (usually foll by on) computing to press and release (a button on a mouse) or to select (a particular function) by pressing and releasing a button on a mouse

3. slang,  (intr) to be a great success

   that idea really clicked

4. informal,  (intr) to become suddenly clear

   it finally clicked when her name was mentioned

5. slang,  (intr) to go or fit together with ease

   they clicked from their first meeting

Other Word Forms

• clickless adjective
• clicker noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of click¹

First recorded in 1575–85; perhaps imitative, but perhaps from Dutch klikk (noun), klikken (verb)

Origin of click²

First recorded in 1950–55; originally U.S. military slang; further origin unclear

Word History and Origins

Origin of click¹

C17: of imitative origin

Example Sentences

Still, data suggests users of AI Overviews aren’t clicking on links as much.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The survey is situated right under a donate button, and another option to click “yes” to approve receiving “recurring automated promotional & fundraising texts from Turning Point.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

“It’s like revisiting the 1990s, when shopping wasn’t as easy as clicking three buttons before the item was en route to your house,” Shafransky said.

Read more on MarketWatch

He said he had sometimes "struggled to find strengths" to his dancing but "when something clicks it feels very satisfying".

Read more on BBC

As the young children enthusiastically sang out phrases, Esau interjected occasionally to correct their pronunciation of the distinct sounds and deep clicks of her mother tongue, of which she is the last first-language speaker.

Read more on Barron's

Related Words

• get on