tick over
— phrasal verb with tick uk/tɪk/us/tɪk/verb
(ACTIVITY)
US tick along UK If a business, job, or system is ticking over, it continues to work but makes little progress:
I'll be able to keep things ticking over in the office until you get back.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Machines - Functioning
- asthmatically
- faulty
- fire sth up
- function as sth/sb
- functionally
- operation
- operational
- operative
- order
- pack
- pack up
- peg
- perform
- play up
- right
- roll
- start
- start (sth) up
- torpor
- work
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(ENGINE)
If the engine of a vehicle is ticking over, the engine is operating slowly although the vehicle is not moving:
I've left the car with the engine ticking over.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Engineering - mechanical
- -engined
- artificer
- automatic
- automatically
- automative
- hydraulic
- idle
- internal combustion engine
- mechanic
- mechanical
- mechanically
- octane
- octane number
- outboard motor
- strip
- tick
- torque
- tune
- vane
- wheelbase
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You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
Machines - Functioning