click

¹

[ klik ]

noun

1. a slight, sharp sound:

   At the click of the latch, the dog barked.

2. a small device for preventing backward movement of a mechanism, as a detent or pawl.
3. Phonetics. any one of a variety of ingressive, usually implosive, speech sounds, phonemic in some languages, produced by suction occlusion and plosive or affricative release.
4. any one of a variety of familiar sounds used in calling or urging on horses or other animals, in expressing reprimand or sympathy, or produced in audible kissing.
5. Computers. the act of rapidly depressing and releasing a button on a mouse or other input device, usually the left-hand button, as to select an icon.

verb (used without object)

1. to emit or make a slight, sharp sound, or series of such sounds, as by the cocking of a pistol:

   The door clicked shut.

2. Informal.
   1. to succeed; make a hit:

      If the play clicks, the producer will be rich.

   2. to fit together; function well together:

      They get along in public, but their personalities don't really click.

   3. to become intelligible.
3. Computers. to rapidly depress and release one of the buttons on a mouse or other input device, usually the left-hand button: Compare right-click ( def 1 ).

   Just click on the link to get to the site.

verb (used with object)

1. to cause to click.
2. to strike together with a click:

   He clicked his heels and saluted.

3. Computers.
   1. to select (a screen object) by rapidly depressing and releasing one of the buttons on a mouse or other input device, usually the left-hand button: Compare right-click ( def 2 ).

      Click “OK” to continue .

   2. to rapidly depress and release (a button on a mouse or other input device):

      Click the trackpad button once.

click

²

or klick, klik

[ klik ]

noun

, Slang.

1. a kilometer.

click

/ klɪk /

noun

1. a short light often metallic sound
2. 1. the locking member of a ratchet mechanism, such as a pawl or detent
   2. the movement of such a mechanism between successive locking positions
3. phonetics any of various stop consonants, found in Khoisan and as borrowings in southern Bantu languages, that are produced by the suction of air into the mouth
4. slang.
   a kilometre
5. computing an act of pressing and releasing a button on a mouse

verb

1. to make or cause to make a clicking sound

   to click one's heels

2. usually foll by on computing to press and release (a button on a mouse) or to select (a particular function) by pressing and releasing a button on a mouse
3. slang.
   intr to be a great success

   that idea really clicked

4. informal.
   intr to become suddenly clear

   it finally clicked when her name was mentioned

5. slang.
   intr to go or fit together with ease

   they clicked from their first meeting

Derived Forms

• ˈclicker, noun

Other Words From

• clickless adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of click¹

First recorded in 1575–85; perhaps imitative, but perhaps from Dutch klikk (noun), klikken (verb)

Origin of click²

First recorded in 1950–55; originally U.S. military slang; further origin unclear

Word History and Origins

Origin of click¹

C17: of imitative origin

Example Sentences

It started to click when people started asking me how much my shirts were.

From Los Angeles Times

Find it on BBC Sounds if you're in the UK, or if you're outside the UK click here.

From BBC

“This work, connecting private resources to public needs, is what we need more of across government,” Nathan Click said in a statement.

From Los Angeles Times

Click noted that Newsom has filed a thousand other reports on time, and said, “Many of these identified in the report were filed only a few weeks late and due to delayed notification of receipt of payment by the recipients.”

From Los Angeles Times

I was a tad reticent to click a link.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• get on