- present participle of tick.
ticking
Americannoun
-
a strong cotton fabric, usually twilled, used especially in making cloth ticks.
-
a similar cloth in satin weave or Jacquard, used especially for mattress covers.
noun
Etymology
Origin of ticking
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.
Nelson is lost amid a series of avalanches, and the clock starts ticking.
From Salon ● Nov. 1, 2026
While Meta didn’t share any information on capital expenditures for 2027, spending is likely to continue ticking upward.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 21, 2026
That year, the country was home to 35.7% of the personal wealth in the world, ticking up from nearly 35% in 2024, UBS found in its analysis.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 17, 2026
With the hours ticking down to the closing ceremony, when Japan will hand over the baton to Doha, top officials were on the defensive.
From Barron's ● Oct. 4, 2026
The clock is ticking toward midnight, the harlequin juggler at the top balancing eleven balls amongst the twinkling stars and moving pieces.
From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.