tick
noun
a slight, sharp, recurring click, tap, or beat, as of a clock.
had been ticking
-
past perfect progressiveof tick.past perfect progressive
Used to describe an action that was ongoing continuously in the past up until another past event interrupted it.
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.
Many watched the verdict live Wednesday on a screen in a square in the capital, Pristina, where a countdown clock had been ticking down to the ruling for days.
From Barron's ● Sep. 16, 2026
The clock for the kidney’s survival had been ticking for more than 3 hours, since Rao, the transplant surgeon, had removed it from a rat in a reenactment of that 2022 breakthrough surgery.
From Science Magazine ● Jun. 21, 2023
I’d noticed that the Apple.com charges had been ticking up, but assumed my husband was buying more audiobooks and my daughter was downloading more games.
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 20, 2023
Shares of Bed Bath & Beyond had fallen about 40 percent since Cohen signed a settlement agreement with the retailer, but had been ticking up in recent weeks.
From New York Times ● Aug. 19, 2022
Alan did not know how long he had been sitting in the darkness thinking out these things; but now a little clock which had been ticking steadily in the blackness tinkled six.
From The Indian Drum by Edwin Balmer
