Tick Off

Meaning of Idiom ‘Tick Off’ (Phrasal Verb)

1. To mark an item on a list or check with a check mark to show that the item has been completed or dealt with. ¹
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Example: “The sergeant ticked off the names of each new recruit in line.”

2. Used figuratively, to complete an item on a list without actually marking a physical list.

Example: “I’ve already bought milk so you can tick that off your shopping list.”

3. To name a list of things or reasons. ³

Example: “He ticked off ten reasons why he didn’t want to go to Mexico for summer vacation.”

4. To easily list items from memory without much effort, especially when the items related to a specific category of things.

Example: “Sarah can tick off the names of every country in the world like it’s nothing.”

See also the anger related idiom ticked off.

Sentence Examples

“I didn’t get much done today but at least I can tick to errands off my list.”

“Go ahead and tick my brother off the guest list. He’s for sure not coming to the party.”

“My little brother can tick off the name of every president plus their date of birth. And he’s only 5!”

“Your Highness will be surprised to learn That your name was ticked off on a passenger list in the dead man’s pocket.” — The Princess Comes Across (1936)

“Maybe the money he banked was payment from Felton himself. So while we’ve been watching Felton, Fred’s been ticking people off a list for cash?” — Midsomer Murders: Murder of Innocence (2012)

“We’re ticking things off our bucket list.” — End of Days (2015)

“Sorry, it’s invite only, you can’t go in till I’ve ticked your name off the list.” — Lip Service: Episode #1.1 (2010)

Origin

Used since the late 1800s, a ‘tick’ is a small mark or dot, today usually a check mark or chit, placed next to an item on a list to indicate the item completed, such as an item being sold.

The word tick used to be another name for quotation marks. The word tick could also refer to ticket, a word used to mean a formal acknowledgement of money owed. To buy something on tick means to purchase it on credit with a promise to pay later. ⁴,⁵

Earlier uses of tick off describe a telegraph recieving a message (1873), a clock ‘ticking’ and thus recording the passage of time (1777), and counting on one’s fintgers (1899). ⁶