tick away
B1 neutral inseparable intransitive
In simple words
Time keeps moving forward, usually when you can feel it running out.
Literal meaning: For a clock or watch to make ticking sounds as it moves forward — mostly transparent.
Meanings
1 B1 neutral
For time to pass steadily, often with a growing sense of urgency or tension.
"The minutes ticked away as the rescue team searched for the missing hiker."
"The clock ticks away and the seconds are running out."
— Common sports commentary phrase; representative of BBC and ITV sports broadcasting usage
Grammar: inseparable
Usage notes
Evokes the image of a clock ticking. Often used in tense or dramatic contexts — countdowns, deadlines, waiting. Common in sports commentaries and news reporting. The subject is almost always 'time', 'minutes', 'seconds', or 'hours'.
Commonly used with
time minutes seconds hours clock deadline
Forms
Base
tick away
I/you/we/they
3rd person
ticks away
he/she/it
Past simple
ticked away
yesterday
Past participle
ticked away
have + pp
-ing form
ticking away
continuous
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Synonyms
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