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tic

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tic

[tik]
–noun
1. Pathology.
a. a sudden, spasmodic, painless, involuntary muscular contraction, as of the face.
b. tic douloureux.
2. a persistent or recurrent behavioral trait; personal quirk: her distinctive verbal tics.

Origin:
1790–1800; < F (of expressive orig.)

-tic

a suffix, equivalent in meaning to -ic, occurring in adjectives of Greek origin (analytic), used esp. in the formation of adjectives from nouns with stems in -sis: hematotic; neurotic.

Origin:
< Gk -tikos, extracted from adjs. derived with -ikos -ic from agent nouns ending in -tēs; cf. hieratic
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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tic   (tĭk)   
n.  A habitual spasmodic muscular movement or contraction, usually of the face or extremities.
intr.v.   ticced, tic·cing, tics
To have a tic; produce tics.

[French.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Slang Dictionary
tongue in cheek

and TIC
  1. phr. & comp. abb.
    a phrase said when the speaker is joking or not being sincere. : My comment was made TIC. Don't take me seriously.
Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions by Richard A. Spears.Fourth Edition.
Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
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Word Origin & History

tic 
twitching of a facial muscle, 1822, often a shortening of tic douloureux "severe facial neuralgia," lit. "painful twitch" (1800), from Fr. tic "a twitching disease of horses" (1611), of unknown origin. Klein suggests an imitative origin; Fr. etymologists compare it to It. ticchio "whim, caprice."
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: tic
Pronunciation: 'tik
Function: noun
1 : local and habitual spasmodic motion of particular muscles especially of the face : TWITCHING
2 : a habitual usually unconscious quirk of behavior or speech
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Medical Dictionary

tic (tĭk)
n.
A habitual spasmodic muscular movement or contraction, usually of the face or extremities. Also called habit spasm.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Abbreviations & Acronyms
TIC
  1. tongue in cheek

  2. total inorganic carbon

The American Heritage® Abbreviations Dictionary, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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