Present participle of flick; making quick, light movements with the fingers, or causing something to move with a sudden sharp motion.
From Middle English flikken, possibly imitative of the sound of a quick, light strike. The word captures both the sound and motion of rapid, light contact.
The word 'flick' is onomatopoeic - it sounds like what it describes! This makes it part of a special category of words where sound mirrors meaning, like 'buzz', 'pop', and 'crack'. Our brains are wired to connect certain sounds with specific types of movement.
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