click

click

I

click¹ S3 /klɪk/ verb
1. [intransitive and transitive] to make a short hard sound, or make something produce this sound:
    The door clicked shut behind me.
    Mother clicked her tongue (=made a short sound to show disapproval) and sighed.
    Edmund clicked his fingers (=made a short sound to get someone’s attention) for John to follow him.
    Vogel clicked his heels (=hit the heels of his shoes together) and bowed.
    Twist the lever and the gears click into place.
2.
   [intransitive and transitive] to press a button on a computer mouse to choose something from the screen that you want the computer to do, or to press a button on a remote control:
    Choose the image you want by clicking twice.
    click on
    Children can click on a sentence to hear it read aloud.
3. [intransitive] informal to suddenly understand or realize something:
    It’s hard work, but one day it will just click.
    I thought, ‘What is he doing?’ and then suddenly it all clicked into place (=I understood how all the events related to each other).
4. [intransitive] informal if two people click, they like, understand, and agree with each other:
    They clicked straight away.
5. [intransitive] informal to happen in a good or successful way, especially because people are working together well:
    If everything clicks, we should have a good season.
     

COLLOCATIONS

■ click + NOUN
   ▪ click your fingers (=make a short sound with your fingers to get someone's attention) She clicks her fingers and he comes running.
   ▪ click your tongue (=make a short sound with your tongue to show disapproval) She clicked her tongue in annoyance.
   ▪ click your heels (=hit the heels of your shoes together, as a soldier does) He clicked his heels and saluted.
■ phrases
   ▪ click into place/position Make sure the lid clicks firmly into place.
   ▪ click open/shut (=open with a short hard sound) I heard the gate at the front of the house click open.

II

click² noun [countable]1. a short hard sound:
    The door closed with a click.
2. the click of a mouse used to show how quickly something can be done on a computer:
    Your photos can be viewed with the click of a mouse.
     

COLLOCATIONS

■ verbs
   ▪ hear a click She heard a click, and then the line went dead.
   ▪ make/produce a click He made a click of disapproval.
   ▪ go click Soon there were photographers all around him going click, click, click.
   ▪ shut/close with a click The front door shut with a click.
■ adjectives
   ▪ a sharp click (=loud and quick) There was a sharp click, and the panel opened like a tiny door.
   ▪ a loud click I heard the loud click of heels on the stone floor.
   ▪ a faint/soft click (=not loud) There was only a faint click from the gun's trigger mechanism.
   ▪ a metallic click (=like something made of metal) She strapped herself in with a metallic click of the belt.
   ▪ a little click The neon sign made little clicks as it changed colour.
■ phrases
   ▪ a series/succession of clicks (=several clicks one after another) A series of loud clicks came from the car's engine.
   ▪ the click of a latch/door/lock etc The click of the latch told me Michele was back.