Klik

Part of speech: noun, verb

Definitions

1. A rapid pressing or clicking sound; an informal term for a unit or increment; a type of mechanical or electronic button activation
2. A short, sharp noise resembling a click; a colloquial expression for a mark of measurement or step; a method of triggering a device by pressing
3. A quick, distinct snap noise; slang for a kilometer or unit of distance; the act of engaging a mechanism by applying pressure briefly

Etymology: The "klik" that means a kilometre is a clipped form of "kilometer," shortened by dropping everything after the "k" and "l" sounds, which makes it easy to shout or radio across a noisy field. It is much like the way military spelling alphabets prefer short, unambiguous syllables. The word is kept distinct from "kilo" (pronounced with a long "ee," as in the kilogram) so that listeners do not mistake one unit for the other. A more colourful theory holds that the word is onomatopoeic. Soldiers using a military odometer could signal that they had covered 1,000 metres by lifting the rifle and flicking the gas regulator with the thumb, producing a click the commander could hear. On this account the sound of the mechanism gave the unit its name. The link is possible but not firmly established, so the clipped-kilometre explanation is the one better supported.

Synonyms: click, tap, snap, tick, clack