flick

• POS: Noun, Verb (transitive)

CIDE DICTIONARY

flick, v. t. [Cf. Flicker.].

•  To whip lightly or with a quick jerk; to flap; as, to flick a horse; to flick the dirt from boots.  Thackeray.  [1913 Webster]
•  To throw, snap, or toss with a jerk; to flirt; as, to flick a whiplash.

  "Rude boys were flicking butter pats across chaos."  [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

flick, n. 

 A flitch; as, a flick of bacon.  [1913 Webster]

flick, n. [See Flick, v. t.].

•  A light quick stroke or blow, esp. with something pliant; a flirt; also, the sound made by such a blow.

  "She actually took the whip out of his hand and gave a flick to the pony."  [Webster 1913 Suppl.]
•  A motion picture; as, I went to see a flick on Friday.  [PJC]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

flick, n. & v.
--n.
1 a a light, sharp, quickly retracted blow with a whip etc. b the sudden release of a bent finger or thumb, esp. to propel a small object.
2 a sudden movement or jerk.
3 a quick turn of the wrist in playing games, esp. in throwing or striking a ball.
4 a slight, sharp sound.
5 Brit. colloq. a a cinema film. b (in pl.; prec. by the) the cinema.
--v.
1 tr. (often foll. by away, off) strike or move with a flick (flicked the ash off his cigar; flicked away the dust).
2 tr. give a flick with (a whip, towel, etc.).
3 intr. make a flicking movement or sound.

Idiom

flick-knife a weapon with a blade that springs out from the handle when a button is pressed. flick through
1 turn over (cards, pages, etc.).
2 a turn over the pages etc. of, by a rapid movement of the fingers. b look cursorily through (a book etc.).

Etymology

ME, imit.

THESAURUS

flick

3-D, Cinemascope, Cinerama, Technicolor, Western, animated cartoon, beak, beat, bicker, birthmark, black-and-white film, blaze, blemish, bloodstain, blot, blotch, blur, bob, brand, breath, brush, bump, bunt, caress, cartoon, caste mark, check, checkmark, chiller, chink, chuck, cicatrix, cine, cinema, click, clink, clop, clump, clunk, color film, come in contact, contact, creepie, crump, cut, cutaneous sense, dab, dance, dapple, daub, discoloration, documentary, documentary film, dot, dull thud, earmark, educational film, engraving, eyesore, feature, feel, feel of, feeling, fillip, film, finger, fingertip caress, flap, fleck, flicker, flip, flirt, flit, flitter, flop, flounce, flump, flutter, flyspeck, freckle, gash, glance, go pitapat, graving, graze, gutter, hack, hand-mindedness, handle, hitch, horror picture, horse opera, jerk, jig, jigger, jigget, jiggle, jog, joggle, jot, kiss, lambency, lap, lentigo, lick, light touch, macula, maculation, macule, manipulate, mark, marking, mole, motion picture, motion-picture show, mottle, movie, moving picture, nevus, newsreel, nick, notch, nudie, pad, palm, palpate, palpitate, pat, patch, patter, paw, peck, photodrama, photoplay, pick, picture, picture show, pitapat, pitter-patter, pluck, plump, plunk, ply, point, poke at, polka dot, pop, pornographic film, preview, prick, prod, pulse, puncture, rap, rub, scar, scarification, score, scotch, scratch, scratching, sense of touch, short, show, silent, silent film, skin flick, slat, smear, smirch, smouch, smudge, smut, smutch, snake, snap, snatch, sneak preview, spaghetti Western, spatter, speck, speckle, splash, splatter, splotch, splutter, spot, sputter, stain, start, stigma, strawberry mark, stroke, sudden pull, tactile sense, taction, taint, talkie, talking picture, tap, tarnish, tattoo, tattoo mark, tentative poke, thriller, throb, thud, thumb, thump, tick, tickle, tinkle, tip, tittle, touch, trailer, tunk, tweak, twiddle, twitch, underground film, watermark, wave, waver, whisk, whisper, wield, wrench, yank, yerk

ROGET THESAURUS

flick

The Drama

N the drama, the stage, the theater, the play, film the film, movies, motion pictures, cinema, cinematography, theatricals, dramaturgy, histrionic art, buskin, sock, cothurnus, Melpomene and Thalia, Thespis, play, drama, stage play, piece, five-act play, tragedy, comedy, opera, vaudeville, comedietta, lever de rideau, interlude, afterpiece, exode, farce, divertissement, extravaganza, burletta, harlequinade, pantomime, burlesque, opera bouffe, ballet, spectacle, masque, drame comedie drame, melodrama, melodrame, comidie larmoyante, sensation drama, tragicomedy, farcical-comedy, monodrame monologue, duologue trilogy, charade, proverbs, mystery, miracle play, musical, musical comedy, western, horse opera, flick, spy film, love story, adventure film, documentary, nature film, pornographic film, smoker, skin flick, X-rated film, act, scene, tableau, induction, introduction, prologue, epilogue, libretto, performance, representation, mise en scene, stagery, jeu de theatre, acting, gesture, impersonation, stage business, gag, buffoonery, light comedy, genteel comedy, low comedy, theater, playhouse, opera house, house, music hall, amphitheater, circus, hippodrome, theater in the round, puppet show, fantoccini, marionettes, Punch and Judy, auditory, auditorium, front of the house, stalls, boxes, pit, gallery, parquet, greenroom, coulisses, flat, drop, drop scene, wing, screen, side scene, transformation scene, curtain, act drop, proscenium, stage, scene, scenery, the boards, trap, mezzanine floor, flies, floats, footlights, offstage, orchestra, theatrical costume, theatrical properties, movie studio, back lot, on location, part, role, character, dramatis personae, repertoire, actor, thespian, player, method actor, stage player, strolling player, stager, performer, mime, mimer, artists, comedian, tragedian, tragedienne, Roscius, star, movie star, star of stage and screen, superstar, idol, sex symbol, supporting actor, supporting cast, ham, hamfatter, masker, pantomimist, clown harlequin, buffo, buffoon, farceur, grimacer, pantaloon, columbine, punchinello, pulcinello, pulcinella, extra, bit- player, walk-on role, cameo appearance, mute, figurante, general utility, super, supernumerary, company, first tragedian, prima donna, protagonist, jeune premier, debutant, debutante, light comedian, genteel comedian, low comedian, walking gentleman, amoroso, heavy father, ingenue, jeune veuve, mummer, guiser, guisard, gysart, masque, mountebank, Jack Pudding, tumbler, posture master, acrobat, contortionist, ballet dancer, ballet girl, chorus singer, coryphee danseuse, property man, costumier, machinist, prompter, call boy, manager, director, stage manager, acting manager, producer, entrepreneur, impresario, backer, investor, angel, dramatic author, dramatic writer, play writer, playwright, dramatist, mimographer, dramatic, theatric, theatrical, scenic, histrionic, comic, tragic, buskined, farcical, tragicomic, melodramatic, operatic, stagy, on the stage, on the boards, on film, before the floats, before an audience, behind the scenes, fere totus mundus exercet histrionem, suit the action to the word, the word to the action, the play's the thing, to wake the soul by tender strokes of art.