flick

¹ American  

[flik] / flɪk /

noun

1. a sudden light blow or tap, as with a whip or the finger.

   She gave the horse a flick with her riding crop.

2. the sound made by such a blow or tap.

3. a light and rapid movement.

   a flick of the wrist.

4. something thrown off with or as if with a jerk.

   a flick of mud.

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verb (used with object)

1. to strike lightly with a whip, the finger, etc.

2. to remove with such a stroke.

   to flick away a crumb.

3. to move (something) with a sudden stroke or jerk.

verb (used without object)

1. to move with a jerk or jerks.

2. to flutter; flicker.

flick ² American  

[flik] / flɪk /

noun

Slang.

1. a motion picture; movie.

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flick ¹ British  

/ flɪk /

verb

1. (tr) to touch with or as if with the finger or hand in a quick jerky movement

2. (tr) to propel or remove by a quick jerky movement, usually of the fingers or hand

   to flick a piece of paper at someone

3. to move or cause to move quickly or jerkily

4. to read or look at (a book, newspaper, etc) quickly or idly

5. to snap or click (the fingers) to produce a sharp sound

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noun

1. a tap or quick stroke with the fingers, a whip, etc

2. the sound made by such a stroke

3. a fleck, streak, or particle

4. informal to dismiss someone from consideration

flick ² British  

/ flɪk /

noun

1. a cinema film

2. the cinema

   what's on at the flicks tonight?

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Usage

What does flick mean? A flick is a light, rapid movement, as in With a flick of her wrist, the magician made the card disappear.A flick is also a sudden tap or light blow, as with a whip or a finger.To flick is to make such a motion.Flick is also a slang term for movie or film.Example: Flick that spider off the table, Tony.

Etymology

Origin of flick¹

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English flykke; imitative

Origin of flick²

First recorded in 1925–30; shortening of flicker ¹

Example Sentences

I could stream most of those flicks, but I missed the adventures they’d had.

From Literature

Jonah’s eyes are flicking back and forth between us and Dad.

From Literature

The badger flicked whatever she’d gleaned from her claw, then pushed upright.

From Literature

Space adventure flick "Project Hail Mary" topped the North American box office for a second straight week with $54.5 million in ticket sales, industry estimates showed Sunday.

From Barron's

He flicked on his high beams only to watch them bounce back as a blinding wall of light.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• flip
• snap
• tap