| 释义 |
tick over1(Of an engine) run slowly in neutral: his Mercedes was waiting for him, the engine ticking over...- It is most content cruising at high speed, with the engine ticking over quietly - but always with the promise of immense reserves of power.
- It really isn't possible to troll using a petrol outboard, they just can't tick over slowly enough.
- He wasn't conscious of the faint sound of a car engine ticking over, a little way up the street outside.
Synonyms idle, run slowly in neutral 1.1Work or function at a basic or minimum level: they are keeping things ticking over until their father returns...- There's also a problem in that my normal mode of thinking of stuff to write about is mostly because my mind sort of ticks over if I'm not thinking of anything particularly fiercely.
- I think there was more pressure on me at the time because I came in to keep things ticking over for Celtic.
- They keep all the bits in working order, not just ticking over in a repetitious way.
See parent entry: tick |