tick off
(British, AU, transitive, historically, _, US) To reprimand.
Seen in the wild
It doesn't look like Nigel's going to be arranging any more Reform members bukkake parties in a hurry! Still, that's one tick off his £5 million bucket list!
Well. I penciled in a well-regarded 10K later this year. Had to put running on hold for life reasons but it’s time to get back to it and tick off that goal!
Oh no, there’s a red arrow in the thumbnail! Coming up, a simple journey to Christchurch before doubling back to Parkstone so as to properly tick off those stations (well, kind of)
No, this is good! Because it means you have lots of fabulous new experiences to look forward to as you tick off the things you want to do!
Twila clocked Chris wanting her to tick off jurors so he can go to f2 with her
Definitions
(British, AU, transitive, historically, _, US) To reprimand.
“So many wars here,” says Luo Xin, my walking partner and a brilliant writer and professor of history from Peking University.I ask Luo to name them.Not breaking stride, he ticks off the wars between the Three Kingdoms more than 2,200 yea…
“Oh no, there’s a red arrow in the thumbnail! Coming up, a simple journey to Christchurch before doubling back to Parkstone so as to properly tick off those stations (well, kind of)”
— Bluesky· May 2026“No, this is good! Because it means you have lots of fabulous new experiences to look forward to as you tick off the things you want to do!”
— Bluesky· May 2026“Twila clocked Chris wanting her to tick off jurors so he can go to f2 with her”
— Bluesky· May 2026
Comments
(North America, transitive) To annoy, aggravate.
In a lengthy missive dispatched the next afternoon, Wheeler ticked off a laundry list of reasons why he could not obey Bragg's order.
Comments
(sometimes, metaphorical) To sign an item on a list with a tick mark, especially as a signal that the item has veen verified or completed.
I ticked off Harry today because he announced he was present.
Tick off means: To sign an item on a list with a tick mark, especially as a signal that the item has veen verified or completed.. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour. If your teen uses it, context will usually make the intent clear. A short, curious question about where they heard it is usually all that is needed to know whether to follow up.
tick off means: To sign an item on a list with a tick mark, especially as a signal that the item has veen verified or completed.. Register: neutral, standard English. A common learner mistake is using the word in a register it does not fit, or assuming a single global meaning; native speakers immediately notice when slang appears in formal contexts, so always check the surrounding register before producing it yourself.
“It doesn't look like Nigel's going to be arranging any more Reform members bukkake parties in a hurry! Still, that's one tick off his £5 million bucket list!”
— Bluesky· May 2026“Well. I penciled in a well-regarded 10K later this year. Had to put running on hold for life reasons but it’s time to get back to it and tick off that goal!”
— Bluesky· May 2026
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