tick over

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tick over (third-person singular simple present ticks over, present participle ticking over, simple past and past participle ticked over)

1. (intransitive, of an engine) to idle (to run at a slow speed, or out of gear).
2. (idiomatic, of, e.g. a process or a business) To run smoothly and without problems.

   While the boss was on holiday, the deputy made sure things were ticking over in the firm.

   • 2011, The Maccabees, Pelican:

     So soon we're too old to carry
     We knew we only had a little while
     In the middle keep ticking over
     Before you know it, parent a parent