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

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

ticking

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

Cheryl Peeper found that the store was helpful to keep her ticking over to the next big shop without spending to much.

From BBC ● Oct. 13, 2026

The ticking of the clock seemed to taunt her, as if it was marking out the time she had left.

From "Breadcrumbs" by Anne Ursu

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Related Words

• breathing
• contemporary

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