flick

flick¹ [flık] v

[Date: 1400-1500; Origin: From the sound of a light blow]

1.) [T usually + adverb/preposition]

to make something move away by hitting or pushing it suddenly or quickly, especially with your thumb and finger

▪ Papa flicked the ash from his cigar.

2.) [I,T always + adverb/preposition]

to move with a sudden quick movement, or to make something move in this way

flick from/up/down

▪ The cow's tail flicked from side to side.

flick sth up/down etc

▪ Jackie flicked her long hair back.

3.) [T]

to move a switch so that a machine or piece of electrical equipment starts or stops

= ↑flip

▪ I felt inside the doorway and flicked the light switch .

flick sth on/off

▪ Sandra flicked the TV on.

4.) flick a glance/look at sb/sth

BrE to look very quickly at someone or something

▪ Leith flicked a glance at her watch.

5.) [T]

if you flick something such as a ↑towel or rope, you move it so that the end moves quickly away from you

▪ The old man flicked his whip and the horses moved off.

flick through [flick through sth] phr v

to look at a book, magazine, set of photographs etc quickly

▪ Will flicked through Carla's photo album.

flick ²

flick² n

[Sense: 1-2, 5; Date: 1400-1500; Origin: FLICK¹]

[Sense: 3-4; Date: 1900-2000; Origin: FLICKER¹; because of the appearance of early movies.]

1.)

a short quick sudden movement or hit with a part of your body, whip etc

▪ With a flick of the wrist , Frye sent the ball into the opposite court.

2.) flick of a switch

used to emphasize how easy it is to start a machine and use it

▪ I can shut off all the power in the building at the flick of a switch .

3.) [C usually singular] especially AmE a film

▪ an action flick

4.) the flicks

BrE old-fashioned the cinema

5.) have a flick through sth

BrE to look at a book, magazine, set of pictures etc very quickly

▪ I had a quick flick through your report.