flick
1 Americannoun
-
a sudden light blow or tap, as with a whip or the finger.
She gave the horse a flick with her riding crop.
-
the sound made by such a blow or tap.
-
a light and rapid movement.
a flick of the wrist.
-
something thrown off with or as if with a jerk.
a flick of mud.
verb (used with object)
-
flicks,
present (3rd person singular)
-
flicked,
past participle, past
-
flicking
present participle
-
to strike lightly with a whip, the finger, etc.
-
to remove with such a stroke.
to flick away a crumb.
-
to move (something) with a sudden stroke or jerk.
noun
verb
-
(tr) to touch with or as if with the finger or hand in a quick jerky movement
-
(tr) to propel or remove by a quick jerky movement, usually of the fingers or hand
to flick a piece of paper at someone
-
to move or cause to move quickly or jerkily
-
to read or look at (a book, newspaper, etc) quickly or idly
-
to snap or click (the fingers) to produce a sharp sound
noun
-
a tap or quick stroke with the fingers, a whip, etc
-
the sound made by such a stroke
-
a fleck, streak, or particle
-
informal to dismiss someone from consideration
noun
-
a cinema film
-
the cinema
what's on at the flicks tonight?
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.
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
flicksimple
-
flickssimple
-
have flickedperfect
-
has flickedperfect
-
am flickingprogressive
-
are flickingprogressive
-
is flickingprogressive
-
have been flickingperfect progressive
-
has been flickingperfect progressive
Past
-
flickedsimple
-
had flickedperfect
-
was flickingprogressive
-
were flickingprogressive
-
had been flickingperfect progressive
Future
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
Explanation
A flick is a quick, short movement, usually coming from the wrist or hand. There used to be a "Flick a Bic" cigarette ad: cigarettes are awful, but starting a lighter is a classic flick. The most common flick is probably turning a switch on or off — people flick switches, like light switches. Flicking is also used when describing golfers and basketball players. A fast, sharp golf shot could be called a flick. A quick basketball shot — like tipping the ball in with one second left in the game — is also a flick. A flick can also be described as a quick jerk — not a jerk as in a bad person, but a tiny movement. If you're using your whole body or even your whole arm, you're not flicking.
Vocabulary lists containing flick
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
He started working with a renowned quarterback guru, Jeff Christensen, who marveled at his new pupil’s obsessive work ethic as he perfected the twist of his torso and flick of his wrist.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026
It also adapted Justin Simien’s indie flick “Dear White People” into an in-your-face comedy revolving around the Black experience at an Ivy League college.
From Salon ● Sep. 24, 2026
"The advice is not to touch them and if you get a bit of tentacle on your skin flick it off with a stick and wash in warm water to neutralise," she said.
From BBC ● Sep. 14, 2026
Third place went to the much-delayed, mixed animation-and-live action Looney Tunes flick "Coyote vs. Acme," with revenue of $11.3 million as it slipped from second place in its second week.
From Barron's ● Sep. 6, 2026
I spun La Llorona’s ear pendant with a dramatic flick of my hand.
From "Summer of the Mariposas" by Guadalupe García McCall
Selected by a special panel of filmmakers and critics, the films on this list span over 100 years of cinema and include comedies, horror flicks, dramas, documentaries, and beyond.
From Slate ● Sep. 11, 2026
From shoulder shimmies and frat flicks to somersaults and knee slides, the Flemings and Schifferles left it all on the dance floor to prove the prowess of their family name.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 12, 2026
Indie horror flicks Obsession and Backrooms emerged as surprise successes, bringing in more than $390m each despite their modest budgets.
From BBC ● Aug. 3, 2026
But consider where The RZA and his late cousin, Ol’ Dirty Bastard, along with other members, were first exposed to these flicks.
From Salon ● May 31, 2026
Junior flicks his wrists, and fireballs appear in his palms.
From "The Manifestor Prophecy" by Angie Thomas
Penrice put in the cross, Naderi flicked it on and Kelsy banged in the volley.
From BBC ● Sep. 13, 2026
Up against a Paraguayan squad known for its stingy defense, Pulisic was double-teamed on the left side when he flicked the ball ahead and raced past them into the box.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 13, 2026
"It wasn't the switch was flicked off, but there was a lot going on."
From BBC ● May 15, 2026
More often, it’s a shower of lemon zest or a handful of toasted breadcrumbs, flicked over the top like confetti.
From Salon ● Apr. 26, 2026
Now that they’d been seen, Razi flicked the reins and the cart trundled away.
From "The Boy Who Met a Whale" by Nizrana Farook
"Something happens when you qualify. It's flicking a switch in mentality - it becomes something realistic and achievable," she adds.
From BBC ● Aug. 4, 2026
By flicking their forked tongues, they collect chemical signals from the air that help them locate potential prey.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 26, 2026
Yet here I am, stalking him on Instagram, up all hours flicking through interviews and career highlight clips.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 8, 2026
When the approval from F1 finally came last March, it changed everything—like flicking on the lights in a dark garage.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 7, 2026
He had held a candle up there for hours, flicking the flame all over the ceiling, stopping often to move the table he was standing on.
From "Half of a Yellow Sun" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
