ticking
Steady rhythmic clicking
Ticking is a sturdy, tightly woven fabric used to cover mattresses and pillows, traditionally featuring distinctive stripes.
The weave is dense enough to contain feathers or stuffing.
Separately, ticking is the present participle of tick—the sound a clock makes, or the act of marking items: I heard the clock ticking; She was ticking off names on her list.
Duration-tracking mechanism
- countdownBackward enumeration to zero
- secondsTime units, or extras
- minutesSixty-second intervals
- hourglassGravity-powered sand timer
stopwatch · alarm · timepiece · wristwatch · grandfather clock · metronome · clockwork · pendulum
Explosive on a timer
- deadlineTime limit for completion
- countdownBackward enumeration to zero
- pressureForce upon contact
- running outApproaching total depletion
bomb · explosive · suspense · tension · imminent · critical · borrowed time · race against time
Arterial blood throb
- throbBeat with intensity
- palpitationIrregular heartbeat awareness
- cardiacPertaining to the heart
- rhythmPatterned stress and silence
beat · stethoscope · heart rate · flutter · pounding · racing · steady · faint
Padded sleeping surface
- pillowBedding for heads
- upholsteryFurniture's textile layer
- stripedHaving contrasting bands
- cottonPlant fiber for textiles
linen · featherbed · bedding · covering · duvet · bolster · cushion · stuffing
Brief sharp noise
- tockClock's second syllable
- tapValve controlling liquid flow
- rhythmicHaving regular tempo
- steadyFixed, not fluctuating
quiet · persistent · faint · audible · background · constant · repetitive · mechanical
timer
Duration-tracking mechanism
hourglass · stopwatch · alarm · timepiece · wristwatch · grandfather clock · metronome · clockwork · pendulum · hands
time bomb
Explosive on a timer
running out · bomb · explosive · suspense · tension · imminent · critical · borrowed time · race against time · eleventh hour
pulse
Arterial blood throb
- throbBeat with intensity
- palpitationIrregular heartbeat awareness
- cardiacPertaining to the heart
rhythm · beat · stethoscope · heart rate · flutter · pounding · racing · steady · faint · strong
mattress
Padded sleeping surface
- pillowBedding for heads
- upholsteryFurniture's textile layer
- stripedHaving contrasting bands
cotton · linen · featherbed · bedding · covering · duvet · bolster · cushion · stuffing · durable
click
Brief sharp noise
steady · quiet · persistent · faint · audible · background · constant · repetitive · mechanical · soft
- timekeepingclock, watch, watches, clocks, timer
- ambient soundsrain, wind, ocean, thunder rumble, crickets
- rhythmic soundsdrumbeat, heartbeat, clapping, tapping, pulse
- soundssound, beeps, listen, sounds, hear
- cat traitssilky coat, coat, tabby pattern, claws, long-haired
- countdownscountdown timer, countdown clock, T-minus, seconds, minutes
- ticking clockClock making sound
- ticking awayTime passing gradually
- clock is tickingDeadline is near
- ticking time bombLooming inevitable disaster
- ticking offProvoking irritation or anger
- clock tickingSound of passing moments