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Glite Dictionary
🎬 A movie 👆 To move quickly 👆 A light movement 💡 To flash quickly 📖 To look quickly
to flick

to flick

78 2.3
To move something quickly with a finger or hand
  • verb
  • /flɪk/
: dar un golpecito
  • I can flick a fly from my horse's ear without breaking the rhythm of his stride.
  • flick the ball
  • flick a cigarette

The cold meets the wet in the air and flicks frost to ashen it all.

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Examples

  • Participants were instructed to attempt to flick the ball between the goal post and flag at each attempt.

    Academic text (2001)

  • Sam, enjoying this, reaches for the switch and flicks it back on again.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • No, no, no, I wanted to flick it up with my foot.

    Peter McKinnon

  • When she turned her head, I was quick enough to flick my eyes up to her face.

    Fiction book (1991)

  • Twist it, flick it, spin it, pull it.

  • Drew makes an acrobatic catch and then flicks it back to Li, harder than he should have.

    Fiction book (1991)

  • With surprising energy, the Ghost flicks a bottle cap and sends it shooting across the subway platform.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • She can easily flick a crumb off the table with her fingers.

  • With a quick motion, he flicked the switch to turn off the light.

  • If you flick your wrist, the playing card will fly across the room.

Synonyms

to pop
vsto flick
827 2.0

To make something open or appear quickly

uses a precise light motion often by a finger rather than any sudden movement
to flip
vsto flick
547 1.8

To turn or toss something quickly with a light hand movement

uses a quick light movement often with a single finger to strike or remove

Antonyms

to hold
∞ 1.4

To remain true or valid in a situation

stop
117 1.0

An act when something ends or pauses

Compounds

chick flick
  • Informal
10 6.2

A light romantic movie that many women enjoy

skin flick
  • Offensive
2 9.7

A movie that shows sexual acts for adults

flick knife
  • UK
1 8.1

A small folding knife whose blade opens quickly when you press a button

flick-knife
  • UK
1 8.1

A small folding knife with a blade that opens quickly when you press a button

How Fast

to yank
172 4.1
to jerk
98 2.0
to snap
226 1.6
to flick
78 2.3
to tap
98 1.0

Surface Forms

flick infinitive
flicked past
flicked past participle
flicking present participle
flicks third person singular

Etymology

The verb flick comes from the same quick, light action as flicker and originally imitates that small sharp touch; it means to 'make a quick, light movement' with your hand or finger. That's why to flick something is to move or strike it suddenly and lightly.