tick over

Từ điển tiếng Anh - Cambridge Advanced Learners Dictionary

tick over phrasal verb [ ticks over ticking over ticked over ticked over ticked over ]
 
ACTIVITY
1. If a business, job or system is ticking over, it continues to work but makes little progress
• I'll be able to keep things ticking over in the office until you get back.
Thesaurus⁺: ↑Functioning ↑Performing a function
 
ENGINE
2. If the engine of a vehicle is ticking over, the engine is operating slowly although the vehicle is not moving
• I've left the car with the engine ticking over.
Thesaurus⁺: ↑Mechanical engineering ↑Functioning ↑Performing a function
Main entry: tick_{phrasal verb}