ricky-tick

[ rik-ee-tik, -tik ]

noun

1. the mechanical, repetitive style and beat of ragtime or early swing music.

adjective

1. of or characteristic of such sound or beat.
2. corny or outmoded.

Word History and Origins

Origin of ricky-tick¹

First recorded in 1935–40; apparently imitative

Example Sentences

The Ricky-Tick was an influential 1960s rhythm and blues club.

From The Guardian

One heyday Ricky-Tick poster advertised a Jimi Hendrix Experience concert with the entry fee of 7 shillings, 6 pence.

From The Guardian

Ms. Mehretu’s early, architectonic paintings came at a high-water mark for globalization; her recent art, more anxious and more impressive, features thrumming, multilayered fields of color and ricky-tick calligraphic swoops that seethe with the contemporary volatility of states and climates.

From New York Times

Danny Elfman of Oingo Boingo has contributed an amazingly effective score, encompassing everything from kiddietime ricky-tick to rock to parodies of Bernard Herrmann and Ennio Morricone.

From Los Angeles Times

"Loosely strung together on a scheme that plays the younger and older generations off against each other, it sizzles with musical montage, tricky electronics and sleight-of-hand lyrics that range between 1920s ricky-tick and 1960s raga."

From Time Magazine Archive

More About Ricky Tick

What does ricky-tick mean?

Ricky-tick means corny or outdated. It can be used to describe the kinds of things that seem a bit old-fashioned and silly because they come from another era.

The similar term rinky-dink can be used to mean the same thing, but it more commonly means inferior, amateurish, or small-time.

The term rinky-tink can also be used to mean the same thing as ricky-tick.

Both ricky-tick and rinky-tink can also be (and were originally) used to describe the mechanical, repetitive style and beat of ragtime or early swing music. Both terms can also be used as nouns to refer to such music.

Ricky-tick is also a military slang term meaning immediately or as quickly as possible. It’s often used in the phrase most ricky-tick, as in Drop what you’re doing most ricky-tick and get down here.

Example: His act is a bit ricky-tick, if you ask me, but I guess that’s what his audience wants to see.

Where does ricky-tick come from?

The first known records of the term ricky-tick come from the early 1930s. It is thought to be imitative of the kind of ragtime music it refers to, which is known for its strict two-four time, steady syncopation, and jangling piano sound. Ragtime was developed around 1900 and was especially popularized by Scott Joplin.

The similar term rinky-tink may be a blend of ricky-tick and rinky-dink.

Did you know ... ?

What are some synonyms for ricky-tick?

• rinky-tink
• rinky-dink
• outmoded
• outdated
• old-fashioned
• corny
• immediately

What are some words that often get used in discussing ricky-tick?

• old-timey
• tinny
• piano
• ragtime
• sound

What are some words ricky-tick may be commonly confused with?

• ticky-tacky

How is ricky-tick used in real life?

None of the senses of ricky-tick are commonly used.

People quote Paul Simon's "Kodachrome" like it's holy writ…you wouldn't know the song's the ricky-tick, jokey ragtime knockoff that it is.

— Marshall N Armintor (@mnarmintor) September 17, 2011

Hey @USAA—you’ve got some serious explaining to do. I suggest you get to it most ricky-tick.@USAA_help https://t.co/ybQ66ko7RL pic.twitter.com/u4ncbeVv7f

— Hillary O'Connor Mueri (@HillaryMueri) January 26, 2021

Try using ricky-tick!

Is ricky-tick used correctly in the following sentence?

I love the ricky-tick sound of tinny old player pianos.