flick

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   To hit or touch something with a quick, light movement.

   They flicked the ant off their arm.

2. 2
   noun

   A short, quick movement, such as a brush or flip.

   He removed the speck of dust with a flick of his finger.

3. 3
   verb

   To move something quickly with a small sharp motion, often a switch.

   She flicked the light switch on as she entered the room.

4. 4
   verb

   To shine or flash on and off in an unsteady way.

   The candle flickered as a draft passed through the room.

From Middle English flykke (“light blow or stroke”). Later uses apparently interpreted as a back-formation from flicker. The use of flick to mean a film or movie derives from the fact that early films had a low frame rate, thus causing the film to "flick" rapidly when projected onto a screen.

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