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Teo Posted 19 years ago
Vocabulary

ticks in boxes

0Blair's official spokesman said the trip, which had the backing of the White02br
00House, had been a success.02br
02br
00"This was not a trip to come back with concrete01font00 ticks in boxes02font00," he said, on02br
00the government's customary condition of anonymity. "This was a trip to02br
00listen."02br
02br
00What does the phrase 01font00ticks in boxes 02font00mean?0-
  

Top answer

0It refers to voting, multiple-choice tests, and other forms. For instance, when filling out a form you might see - ***: Male[] Female[] - where one is supposed to tick off the appropriate choice. 02br 02br 00To 'tick a box' means to make a definite choice or decision.

— M. Caliban

  • 0It refers to voting, multiple-choice tests, and other forms.
  • For instance, when filling out a form you might see - ***: Male[] Female[] - where one is supposed to tick off the appropriate choice.
  • 02br 02br 00To 'tick a box' means to make a definite choice or decision.
  • 02br 02br 00I've never heard this idiom before and suspect it's something he created spontaneously.
  • 0-
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7 Answers
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0It refers to voting, multiple-choice tests, and other forms. For instance, when filling out a form you might see - ***: Male[] Female[] - where one is supposed to tick off the appropriate choice. 02br
02br
00To 'tick a box' means to make a definite choice or decision. 02br
02br
00I've never heard this idiom before and suspect it's something he created sp
0
0
0 I think it may be referring to a "to do" list - when you cross something off your list or check the box when you complete it. The spokespereson may have been saying that he did not come with an agenda of things he wanted to accomplish, but was simply there for discussions. 0-
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0I'd agree with GG. Perhaps it's more common in the UK, where the usual idiom is "to tick all the boxes". 02br
02br
00Thus "to come back with concrete ticks in boxes" means "to come back with tangible things done". 02br
02br
00Cf. "She ticked all my boxes".02br
02br
00MrP0-
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0"She ticked all my boxes"?? Please explain, Mr. P.02br
02br
00(In the U.S. we "check" boxes. "Ticks in boxes" sounds like a bug collection to me!)0-
0
0
0 01blockquote
01cite10Khoff12cite10"She ticked all my boxes"?? Please explain, Mr. P.12br
12br
12blockquote
10Well...perhaps:02br
02br
001. She did all the things I'd hoped she'd do.02br
02br
00or02br
02br
002. She was everything I'd hoped she'd be.02br
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0So just out of curiosity, those nasty bugs that attach themselves to your dog (and sometimes to us (shudder!) ) are also ticks in the UK, right?02br
02br
00Do you use the word "checkmark" at all?0-
0
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0Oh yes, we have plenty of ticks – both the invertebrate kind, and the slightly more repellent kind that run errands for you, when you're in the sixth form.02br
02br
00MrP0-
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