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

Ticking through a backlog of projects, Stockdale said he is guided by a belief shared by many officials in Oregon and elsewhere who are increasingly looking to data centers for a boost.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 4, 2025

Ticking off some of Melbourne's famous sights are on the to-do list for a talented youngster who is combining his burgeoning professional career with an online business degree.

From BBC • Jan. 23, 2023

Ticking off the seasons, Libner shares how the witch hazel blooms “fragrantly and flagrantly” in January, an Italian prune fruits in summer and a paperbark maple with cinnamon exfoliating bark is “gorgeous in every season.”

From Seattle Times • Aug. 14, 2021

Ticking off issues he campaigned on, Mr. Gillespie noted his supporters were worried about “safety for themselves and their families and their businesses.”

From New York Times • Nov. 7, 2017

This stone, young man," said my Quakerly rebuker, in a hard country farmer's voice; "this stone is the London Tract Ticking Stone.

From Tales of the Chesapeake by Townsend, George Alfred

Related Words

• breathing
• contemporary