Ticking

Part of speech: noun, verb

Pronunciation: /ˈtɪkɪŋ/

Definitions

1. A strong, durable fabric used to cover mattresses and pillows, often tightly woven to protect the stuffing inside ; a repetitive, short sound produced by the mechanism of a clock or timer
2. Material designed to encase bedding and cushions securely, typically made from cotton or similar textiles ; the steady, rhythmic noise created by the inner workings of timekeeping instruments
3. A textile casing that shields bedding fillings from wear and dirt, frequently used in mattress and pillow construction ; the characteristic periodic noise emitted by clocks as they keep time

Etymology: The fabric in a mattress cover has a name that sounds like something from a clock. "Ticking" comes from "tick," an old English word for a sheet or cover, the same sense that survives in the phrase "bed tick." The "-ing" ending here marks material or a collection, so "ticking" is literally the stuff from which covers are made. The surprise is that "tick" in this sense has no connection to the small sounds of a clock or to the tiny blood-sucking insect. Those meanings belong to other, unrelated words that happen to look the same. The sheet sense came into English through a long Germanic line, and its earlier roots are far older than the English word itself.

Synonyms: ticking sound, clicking