Showing results for "ticking"

• present participle of tick.

ticking

American  

[tik-ing] / ˈtɪk ɪŋ /

noun

1. a strong cotton fabric, usually twilled, used especially in making cloth ticks.

2. a similar cloth in satin weave or Jacquard, used especially for mattress covers.

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ticking British  

/ ˈtɪkɪŋ /

noun

1. a strong cotton fabric, often striped, used esp for mattress and pillow covers

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Etymology

Origin of ticking

First recorded in 1635–45; tick ³ + -ing ¹

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

ticking

European Council chief Antonio Costa kicked off a tour of EU capitals this week bidding to hammer out a compromise on the budget -- with the clock ticking down to a December deadline.

From Barron's ● Aug. 27, 2026

At Walmart’s U.S. locations, traffic was up 1.5%, but per-trip spending trailed that figure, ticking 1.1% higher.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 21, 2026

The ticking fee was an incentive to persuade Warner shareholders to support its bid for the company over rival suitor Netflix.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 17, 2026

Monday's filing reflects the pressure on Paramount, with a $7 million-a-day "ticking fee" due to kick in for Warner Bros. shareholders if the takeover is not complete by October 1.

From Barron's ● Aug. 17, 2026

The ticking of the big clock became so loud that President Washington and President Lincoln, who occupied the wall space to either side of it, exchanged a look of shared displeasure.

From "In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson" by Bette Bao Lord

Related Words

• breathing
• contemporary